Unknown Blood
by falachen
Summary: What if Daniel wasn't Will's father but actually his uncle? What would it mean if Will's mother gave Halt a piece of cloth bearing the emblem of a four-legged snake? And what happens when Will's father finally finds him? Will there be peace? Or war? In the end, some lines must be drawn in blood. But whose blood? Your family or your friends? And who fits in each category?
1. Chapter 1

**NOTE: I don't own any of the characters from Ranger's Apprentice!**

 **Just a random idea I had. Don't know how far I'll continue this. Depends on the support it gets.**

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Unknown Blood Chapter 1

Will gasped as his foot tripped over a root in the ground. With a grunt he hit the forest floor. Almost instantly he was up and running onward. Behind him he could hear the dogs barking madly as they picked up his scent. Shouts cut through the silent forest. Horses' hooves sent vibrations through the trees. They were on his tail. So close to capturing him again.

He knew that if he was caught then he would never escape again.

His feet moved faster.

His heart pounded in his chest.

Sweat raced down his body.

The bushes lashed across his face and hands, tearing apart the fancy clothes he was wearing.

Sliding down an incline, Will desperately sought to regain his breath. The creek water splashed onto his brown pants as he ran. Those shiny, black leather boots were caked in mud as he struggled up the other side. Hissing angrily, Will felt himself pulled backwards. A branch had caught onto the white, wool shirt. Quickly he tore it free, leaving another sign of his passing. That mattered little to him. His main priority was to run. His only hope was to outlast his pursuers.

Reaching a road, he stopped and looked around. No one was in sight. Quickly Will dashed across into the trees on the far side. Just in time. A force of mounted men galloped into view, rounding the bend on his left. Spotting them, Will went low, slowing his pace drastically. From along his path came three huge hound dogs and their master. More mounted men followed them. Quickly the two groups exchanged news. The leader, seeing that Will had gotten through their fingers, cursed violently. The dogs already had their noses to the ground. Soon they began barking loudly, straining on their leashes in his direction.

"Find him!" bellowed the leader.

Will heard his command and picked up his pace. They were right behind him. He could not afford to be captured. Not now. Not when he knew the truth. Not when everyone he cared about was in danger. Glancing up at the sun, he saw he was still going in the right direction. Only a few hours until dusk. Hopefully he could last that long. Gritting his teeth, Will pushed onward. He _had_ to last that long. They were counting on him.

Dusk spread across the sky. The last rays of the sun glimmered on the small river. Birds chirped in the trees. Owls began to hoot, knowing their time was coming. A few squirrels nibbled on nuts by the riverside. Instantly they scattered as Will broke the surface. He dragged himself out of the water, breathing hard and soaking wet. It had been a long hard swim. The underwater current was strong, pulling him down to the bottom. Shaking the water from his ears, Will listened for any sound. Nothing. Only the forest. Maybe he had finally gotten away. Maybe he had done what was deemed impossible.

Stumbling into the woods, Will knew he had to keep moving. They would not be tricked for long. Soon they would realize he had swam downriver. Exhaustion made his sight blurry and his feet heavy. His lungs felt like they were ready to burst. Numbly he felt the cold breeze blow past his body. He kept moving. When night was strong then he would rest. Until then he had to keep moving…

That's when something pinned his arms to his sides.

Growling angrily, Will twisted violently. It only succeeded in tightening the rope. Exhaustion replaced with adrenaline, Will's eyes spotted the mounted figure. Calmly, firmly he held the boy at bay. His brown and white paint stallion stood firm beneath him. A powerful sword could be seen at the man's left hip. No armor could be seen. The man knew he did not need it. The boy had no weapons. Will took a step away from the mounted man. Instantly he drew the rope in a little, dragging Will back towards him. Desperately Will dug in his heels but the man was far stronger than him. More mounted men appeared around the two. Will let a snarl appear on his face. Then he closed his eyes and bowed his head.

He had lost.

The mounted man with the rope spurred his horse forward. Easily he leaned over and grabbed Will's wet collar. The boy grunted as he was hauled into the saddle. Then the little group turned and headed back towards the castle. The tops of the towers could barely be seen in the distance. Another cold breeze blew past, making Will shiver. The man wrapped a warm blanket around his small body. A powerful arm pulled him close to the man's chest. Turning his head slightly right, Will saw the emblem of a four-legged snake sewn into the man's cloak.

Again Will closed his eyes.

So much for beating the impossible.

So much for saving his friends.

"I understand why but that doesn't mean I forgive," the man said quietly into Will's ear. "I suspect you already know your punishment,

My son."

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 **Again, may or may not continue.**


	2. Chapter 2

**NOTE: I don't own any of the characters from Ranger's Apprentice!**

 **Continuing for now. I'm not so gun-ho over this story like I was over the other one. However, if you want me to continue, please let me know. I'll do it for you, my fans!**

 **(See I really do care about you guys. I'm not totally mean.)**

 **Review and Enjoy!**

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Unknown Blood Chapter 2

 _Five months previous- shortly after Will, Cassandra, Halt, and Horace return from Skandia (before Erak's Ransom- Halt and Pauline aren't married yet)_

The arrow slammed into the target. Two more quickly hit their mark. All were in the center ring, a bull's-eye. Will lowered his bow, studying his handiwork. Truth be told, he was getting better. He had come a long way from his time in Skandia. He still had much to remember. Halt had been right. It seemed that his skill with the recurve bow had become instinctual, a habit that he could rebuild. Sighing tiredly, Will walked towards the targets. One by one he pulled out the arrows. Each arrow returned to his quiver, ready for another round.

A soft, sweet voice came to his ears, "You shouldn't overwork yourself, Will."

Turning around, Will smiled at young Alyss. The young Courier's blond hair shimmered in the light. Those gray eyes drew his gaze. He approached her, noticing the basket that she held in her hand. Understanding dawned. She had come to share lunch with him. It was her way of saying she was happy he was back, safe and sound. Taking the basket, Will led her into the cabin. The little space seemed empty without Halt but his mentor had to leave on an assignment. Normally he would have brought Will but the grizzled Ranger felt his apprentice deserved a break.

"How are things going in the Diplomatic Service?" Will asked politely as he brought out plates and silverware.

Alyss chuckled, "Busy as usual." Seeing the worry that suddenly sparked in Will's eyes she continued, "Pauline encouraged me to come out here. She has enough help."

"I don't want to get in the way of your work," Will mumbled.

Alyss gently wrapped her hand around his, "You're doing nothing of the kind, Will. I'm glad your back. Jenny and George would join if they had time."

That brought a wry smile to Will's face. Together they ate the delicious meal, food hand prepared by Jenny herself, and enjoyed each other's company. Being old friends meant they had missed each other a lot. The feelings each had deep down inside made each other miss the other more. Now they were together again. They talked about life and their jobs. Together they laughed and mused over the day's events. It was nice day for such talk.

After Alyss left, Will pulled out the maps and charts. Since he was inside he might as well. Halt would be sure to test him on this at some point. The sun was going down by the time Will gave up on studying that. Carefully he put them away, took care of Tug, and then started making his own dinner. Knowing he was not going anywhere, Will pulled on his night clothing. As he pulled out his shirt, Will spotted the small box that contained his valuable belongings. Smiling, he brought the box out to the dining table. Never hurt to look at old memories.

His dinner was good, not as good as Halt's cooking. However he was getting better. The contents of the box, however, held his main focus. Subconsciously his senses searched for signs of danger. His eyes looked over small paintings of him and the other Wards. Then his hand pulled out a ball that he dived into the river to save when Horace accidently hit it too far. Soaked, the ball had been useless from then on. Will, however, kept it around for the memories. Some things were new, coming from his adventures as a Ranger's apprentice or from Skandia. With a sigh, Will rose to put everything away. That's when he saw it:

A piece of purple cloth.

Reaching into the box, Will gingerly picked it up. In the dancing firelight, the golden emblem shined brightly. A four-legged snake. The symbol of his missing father. Halt had told him the whole story: how Daniel, Will's uncle, had saved him but how Halt had failed to save Will's mother. Then Halt had brought Will to Redmont, leaving him on the Ward steps in a basket. The note he wrote said:

 _His mother died in childbirth. His uncle died a hero._

 _His father bears this emblem, if he ever comes for the boy._

 _Please care for him._

 _His name is Will._

That had been many years ago. No father had ever come. Halt had tried desperately to find the boy's father to no avail. When they had returned home, Cassandra and her father had searched through the history of crests for the emblem. No one had ever carried a four-legged snake. That meant that Will's father came from somewhere else. Perhaps the man did not know he had a son. Perhaps he did not care.

Grimacing at the thoughts in his head, Will replaced the piece of cloth. What did it matter anyway? He was on his own journey now. He had grown up. Having a father now would do little good. Will smiled. If anyone was to be considered his father then it was Halt. The man had done much to care for Will. His mentor was the closest thing to a father Will had. That was good enough. It would always be good enough.

Will cleaned his dishes then returned the box to its hiding place. Then he started blowing out the candles and putting out the fire. Time for bed. He had to wake up early and finish cleaning the cabin. Halt was due to return any day now. If he found that Will had not cleaned the cabin then Will would be sleeping in the tree for the next several nights. Not something he wanted to do. He was about to fall asleep when his ears heard Tug's call.

Someone was approaching the cabin.

Instantly Will was up and changing his clothes. Perhaps something was going wrong. He had to be ready. Hoofbeats sounded on the ground as Will pulled on his boots. The knock rang out just as Will grabbed his bow and arrows. With a deep breath, Will opened the door. A castle servant stood there. He was young, about in his teens, with blond hair. Blue eyes sparked with fear as Will appeared. Then, realizing this was the one he wanted, he took a breath to speak.

"Baron Arald has summoned you, Will. He says it's urgent."

"Very well," Will said, grabbing his cloak and exiting the cabin.

Quickly he saddled Tug and headed for Castle Redmont. As he approached, Will noticed that many lights were on. That made him frown. The castle was never this busy this late at night. The guards quickly stepped out of his way as Tug trotted into the courtyard. Waiting at the steps was Sir Rodney. Beside him was a huge man with broad shoulders, heavily muscled arms, thick legs, and covered in armor. His helmet was being held by his left hand, next to an immense broadsword. Dark eyes watched as the apprentice Ranger pulled Tug to a stop. Seen up close, Will could see several scars of his face, a bald head, brown eyes, and a broken nose. Swinging from the saddle, Will handed the reins to a stable-boy and commanded Tug to follow him.

"Good evening, Sir Rodney. What's going on?" Will asked politely as he mounted the steps to the two men.

Sir Rodney opened his mouth to speak but the other man beat him to it. His voice was deep and powerful yet quiet, "You'll learn soon enough."

With that, he turned on his heels and marched away. Will quickly fell in line beside Sir Rodney. The Battlemaster was watching the huge man with suspicion and anger. Quietly he whispered to Will, "These men rode in as if they owned the place. Immediately they demanded to speak with Baron Arald, calling him out by name. I was going to chase them off when I noticed…" Will glanced up as the Battlemaster paused. Unconsciously the Battlemaster was chewing his bottom lip nervously. Then Rodney continued, "Will…They're bearing your father's insignia."

That made the blood in Will's veins freeze. His father's emblem! His father commanded such powerful men as the one he was following. His father had finally found him. Was he here in the flesh? Was he waiting at some rendezvous point, waiting to make sure Will was truly his son? What was he like? Friendly? Caring? Mean and distant? Would he be proud of Will? More importantly, would he accept a son who was so short and had no physically daunting power? All these questions raced through Will's mind in the time it took to reach the Baron's office.

Inside was Baron Arald, Lady Pauline, Nigel, and four men. Three stood standing around the room, ready for a threat. Each was big and heavily muscled and armored. The fourth was seated in a chair across from Baron Arald. As the three entered, Arald looked up from a piece of paper. Handing the paper to Nigel, he signaled Rodney and Arald forward.

As Will stepped forward, Arald spoke up, "Everything seems to be in order." The man rose from the chair, turning to face Will. "Will," Arald continued, "meet your father."

The man was of medium height and slight build. The guards seemed to dwarf him. A gleaming sword, a precious sapphire embedded at the top of handle, rested at his left hip. Hanging from his right shoulder was a purple cloak, sewn to his shirt by the emblem Will all too well. Shining brown eyes studied Will as the apprentice Ranger stepped into the light of the lamp. Black hair was carefully combed away from his face towards the right side. A powerful jaw was set in a slight frown. However, as the man looked at Will, that frown broke into a loving smile.

Carefully, slowly, he stepped forward. "My son," he said, his soft voice breaking slightly, "I've finally found you after all these years."

"Father?" Will managed to whisper.

He could just how much they resembled each other. Father and son stepped forward and embraced each other. Tears were trying to force their way out of Will's eyes. His father did not even bother to stop his own. As they embraced, Will could feel the power in his father's muscles. However, his hold on Will was gentle. Will's father, in his turn, could sense the whipcord strength inside his son but also his strength of heart. The others in the room remained silent, giving father and son time. Will realized that Arald was ready to speak and pulled away from his father. That's when Arald cleared his throat. Will's father instantly turned towards the Baron, his right hand remaining on his son's shoulder.

Arald spoke calmly, "It is late. You are more than welcome to stay for a few days while everything is prepared. King Duncan has a special interest in your son and will want to know about this. Also, Halt, Will's mentor, must learn about this as well."

Will's father nodded, "I understand, Baron." His brown eyes turned to look at his son, "We'll leave as soon as my son is ready."

"Then it is settled," Lady Pauline spoke, nodding to Will.

Several servants guided the newcomers to their apartments. Apologizing to his father, Will explained that he had to return to Halt's cabin. With a kiss to his son's forehead, his father wished him happy dreams. With promises to see each other the next day, the two separated. Will retrieved Tug and set off for the little cabin in the trees.

 _So your father is finally here_ , Tug snorted.

"Yes he is, Tug. He is finally here!" Will replied.

 _Does mean we'll separate?_ his horse asked, tossing his head.

"I hope not. I hope my father will let me keep you around. Well, I also need Crowley's permission but I doubt he'll deny it," was Will's reply. A frown of worry appeared on his face. "I guess I'm going to miss it here. I never thought he would actually come."

 _You'll be fine. His horses smell nice and are nicely groomed. He must be some sort of noble_ , Tug rumbled.

"I guess so," Will said as they turned down the little road. "There's a lot we don't know about him. These next few days I'm going to have learn as much as I can."

 _Then let our next adventure begin!_ Tug neighed loudly.

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 **Will's father doesn't have a name yet. Can't think of one. Any suggestions? Also, let me know if you want me to continue. I'll update more often if you guys are behind this.**


	3. Chapter 3

**NOTE: I don't own any of the characters from Ranger's Apprentice!**

 **Had a lot of free time and I was bored so I got this done.**

 **AlexaMarrinDaughterofPoseidon: You don't trust Will's father because you know me. Most of my OCs have turned out to be people you can't trust.**

 **Out of all the names you guys gave me and those I had in mind, I have decided that Will's father shall be named (drumroll!): Bruce.**

 **Review and Enjoy!**

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Unknown Blood Chapter 3

Halt was visiting with Baron Arald to discuss the recent turn of events. Lady Pauline was explaining the situation to Alyss, Jenny, and George. All the former Wards knew they were going to miss Will. However, they were happy that he finally had a family there for him. Sir Rodney, still suspicious, was watching the huge guards brush their horses. He felt that something was wrong with this whole scenario. Arald, Pauline, and Nigel had examined the information thoroughly and determined it all to be true. A message had been sent to Duncan, telling him what had happened and calling for him, Cassandra, Crowley, and Sir Horace to come down. Mostly it was for former goodbyes but they also hoped that Duncan and Crowley could spot a bad fish, if there was one.

Meanwhile, over at Halt's cabin, Will was talking with his father, Bruce. Tug munched on the grass beside Bruce's brown and white paint. The paint seemed perfectly happy ignoring the smaller, shaggy horse. After all, what did it matter to him? Tug's ears flicked as Will laughed at small joke his father just told him. They were sitting together on the verandah steps. Bruce had one arm wrapped over his son's shoulders. After so many years without the boy, Bruce was not going to let go of him so easily.

Bruce's soft voice entered Will's ears, "I'm so glad you had a nice home here. I was worried when my scouts found your uncle's home with the grave of my wife. I thought I had lost you."

"I'm not that easy to get rid of," Will said with a laugh and a warm smile.

Bruce pulled his son closer to him, "That I'm glad for." He kissed the top of his son's head, enjoying holding his son.

"What was mother like?" Will asked softly, not wanting to ruin the moment.

Unknown to Will, Bruce's brown eyes hardened. In a sad voice, he replied, "Beautiful. Loving. Compassionate. Yet she had the courage of lion and the speed of a leopard. I never found a woman that could steal my heart the way she did."

"What happened that made her come back here?" Will asked, looking up at his father.

Bruce met his son's gaze and sighed weakly, "Some parts of the kingdom revolted. I was called in to battle, leaving your mother with several of my finest guards. She was just pregnant with you then. However I soon received word that my castle had been attacked. Racing back, I found the guards dead and your mother missing. She left a letter telling me she fled to her previous life. Unfortunately I never really asked must about her past. I knew she had a brother who was a farmer and lived on an island. That was it." Bruce smiled wryly at his son, "You wouldn't believe how many inhabited islands there are in this world."

Will had to laugh at that. It was at that moment that Tug perked up his head and neighed a warning. Will's hand immediately grabbed his bow. He was ready for a threat. No reply neigh came. Then a farmer came around the trees on his plough horse. Recognizing him as one of the farmers nearby, Will rose to greet him. Bruce had also risen, eyeing the newcomer with distrust. He knew that people could use disguises.

"Hello, Bert! What can I do for you?" Will called.

Bert smiled at Will, "Pardon the intrusion, young Will. I know Halt is at Castle Redmont but I need help. Some bandits are starting to cause trouble around the farms. We were hoping you could help."

Will nodded at once. He descended the few steps and raced to get Tug's saddle. He was finished when he noticed that his father was mounting as well. Looking at his son, those brown eyes told Will that he was not going to let his son run off into danger without him. With a wry smile, Will mounted Tug and headed after Bert. The powerful paint walked easily next to Tug. The smaller horse snorted softly, looking back at his master.

 _This horse isn't very friendly,_ he said.

Smiling, Will patted his neck. To that Tug just tossed his head. Bruce looked at his son worriedly. Bandits could be dangerous. He did not want anything to happen to the son he just found. However, he could see the determination in Will's posture. His son was ready to face anything. Reaching a bend in the road, Bert turned and explained the farms were down that way. Will told him to go to Castle Redmont and inform Sir Rodney and Halt. They would bring men to make the official arrest. Meanwhile, Will and his father would find where these bandits were hiding. Bert nodded and galloped off. Will drew in a deep breath to steady his racing heart then spurred Tug onward.

It was Tug that sensed it first. Then Will's nose caught the scent. Smoke. There was fire! Without a command, Tug broke into a gallop. Will drew an arrow, ready to fire at a moment's notice. Behind them, Bruce was spurring his horse into a gallop. He was not going to lose sight of his son. Soon the black smoke could be seen through the trees. Tug did not vary in his pace. Shouts could be heard up ahead. Three men were desperately trying to hold off ten bandits with pitchforks. The bandits were laughing and mocking them. It was these bandits who had set fire to the barn.

Tug braced his legs, coming to a stop. Will's arrow was nocked and fired within seconds. An instinctive shot. A bandit who planned to sneak up on the youngest of the three screamed in agony. His buckled right after that. Spinning around, the other men faced Will. Tug stood firm, watching the proceedings. Will had his hood up, the cowl hiding his face. Only a frown could be seen. Another arrow was already resting on the bow. It would be fired in a matter of seconds if it had to be.

"King's Ranger! Drop your weapons!" Will called, his voice eerily calm.

Unknown to him, Bruce had approached silently on foot. Now he was watching the proceedings with narrowed eyes. It was time to see what his son could do. Already he could see that the men were nervous. In Araluen, Rangers were not to be messed with. They were dangerous and many deemed them unstoppable. Now they were faced with one. The leader, however, quickly figured out who he was facing. A smile touched his features.

He called back, mockingly, "Young Will, is it? I'm surprised Halt let you come on such a dangerous mission. Either that or you are foolhardy."

A few of his men chuckled. Most did not. They knew that even a Ranger's apprentice could be deadly. This one especially. Two exchanged a glance before slowly moving away. They were not getting into a fight with any Ranger, apprentice or not. However, they were soon faced with angry farmers. Not a better option. Will, meanwhile, remained still. He was modeling himself after Halt. Indeed, his silence and calm demeanor was spooking the others. They were beginning to wonder if they should make a run for it.

That's when the leader spat angrily, "Stand your ground, cowards! He's just an apprentice doing a man's job. He's here only because Halt doesn't have the nerve to face us."

That did it.

Will's arrow ripped through his foot, pinning it to the ground. Tug neighed angrily and charged. He knew an insult when he heard one. The other bandits scattered. They were not getting involved in this. Only three decided to fight back. One was bowled over by Tug's charge. The second had his nose flattened by Will's boot. The third was knocked out by the hilt of Will's saxe. Turning to face the rest, Will let out a small growl. That made the others freeze. This Ranger apprentice was truly mad.

It was not long before Halt and Sir Rodney appeared with several men-at-arms to make the arrest. They found Bruce and the farmers tying the men up. Will was talking with the leader. Hearing hoofbeats and Tug's warning, Will looked in their direction. A smile appeared on his face as he waved. Sir Rodney smiled back. Halt remained grim as ever. Quickly he spurred Abelard over to his apprentice's side. Easily he dismounted and stepped close to his apprentice.

His gruff voice spoke quietly, "What were you thinking? Things could have gone a lot worse here."

"Sorry, Halt. They were attacking the farmers here. I couldn't stand by and watch them get away with it. Plus, I had back up," Will replied, his tone letting Halt know he understood the rebuke. With the last words, Will looked over to where his father was, helping Sir Rodney round up the bandits.

Halt sighed as he noticed Bruce. Deep down he knew that Will was going to leave. Halt knew he was going to miss the boy. Will had lightened up his life considerably, even when watching from afar. Now the boy's true father was here. Halt was happy about that much. Bruce turned and saw Halt beside Will. Only Halt saw his gaze darken. A worm of distrust and worry wriggled in Halt's stomach. Bruce was hiding something. Will was definitely his son, there was no doubt about it. They resembled each other closely. Bruce's story and emblem fit perfectly with Will's story. No, there was something else going on.

Something that made Halt worry for Will's safety.

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 **Bruce and Halt don't like each other. You can see Halt's reasoning. Truth be told, Bruce is hiding a lot of secrets from Will. Secrets that his son must uncover.**

 **REMEMBER: If you give me support for this story then I'll continue it. If not then I don't know if I will continue. Show your support in the comments.**


	4. Chapter 4

**NOTE: I don't own any of the characters from Ranger's Apprentice! I just own Will's father.**

 **I'm really sorry for the late update! Unfortunately I had a project finish and my wrist is not doing so good. However, I am working on getting better. Therefore, please forgive me if my writing isn't as good as it used to be. I am working with a new software that allows me to dictate instead of typing and I'm still trying to get used to it. Some sentences may not flow as well as they used to and my grammar will possibly suck.**

 **One of my fans asked me if you could send fan art to my email. My answer to that is yes if you can figure it out. I don't know how to send pictures to other people so don't ask me. However, if you do know how to send pictures and want to, feel free. It makes me really happy to know that my ideas are giving artists inspiration and fellow writers the encouragement to continue trying.**

 **Review and Enjoy!**

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Unknown Blood Chapter 4

"So you saw it too?" asked Sir Rodney.

Halt nodded, "Yes, I saw it too. However, I don't know what it means."

The two men were sitting inside Rodney's office at Castle Redmont. Before them, littering the desk, were all the papers that Bruce had given to them when he arrived to take Will. Sir Rodney was pacing back and forth behind the desk. Slowly Halt scratched his beard as he tried to think. Neither man knew what to make of the situation that they now found themselves in. After all, none of them had ever thought such a time would come to pass. Yet, there was something going on that was making them itch. All they had to do is figure out what was going on. Rodney had been tracking all of Bruce's guards throughout the past days while Halt have been keeping an eye on Bruce himself. Time was of the essence and both men knew it. King Duncan and the others had been informed and were on their way to join them at Castle Redmont. Word have been sent ahead from the group explained to be here within a few days. There was also a few sentences from Princess Cassandra and Sir Horace, congratulating Will and his father. Secretly Halt had also summoned Crowley to come down as well to take a look at the paperwork.

After all, both Halt and Rodney were sensing a trap or trick.

For all they knew, Bruce had been extremely secretive since the moment he had Will in his sights. The man was constantly taking the apprentice away from training sessions with Halt. The man rarely answers questions about where he came from or what position he held. He never seemed happy when he found Will talking with his friends. When asked, Will admitted that he thought his father was kind of secretive but he resolved to let it go. His mentor, however, could not let it go. All of Bruce's actions were making him extremely uncomfortable and wary. He was afraid the man was planning something more sinister than what he was leading the others to believe. Now it seemed that Sir Rodney shared his fears.

The knight stopped pacing long enough to pick up a piece of paper. As he continued, his eyes scanned the paper in his hand, looking for some trace of fraud. With a sigh he sat into a chair and rubbed his face. As far as he could tell there was nothing wrong with the documentation. Looking over at Halt, he could see the Ranger was having the same problem. That grizzled face was set in a frown, those dark eyes bore into the pages, and his fingers silently drummed on the desktop. This was the most agitated and worried Rodney had ever seen Halt. He knew from experience that this was never a good sign.

"What do we do now?" Rodney asked.

Glancing up for a piece of paper, Halt glared at the knight. "Do you expect me to have all the answers," Halt snapped angrily.

"Just wondering if you had any suggestions is all," Rodney said, holding up his hands in surrender.

Halt sighed and looked out the window. "I wish I had the answers to this. However, I'm afraid I don't this time." Those dark eyes gained a distant look, "I'm afraid that whatever answer we are looking for has something to do with Will. Whatever it is, I hope it doesn't bring the boy any harm."

Rodney silently nodded his head. He could understand that feeling because he felt the same way towards Horace. At least his parents were known, unlike Will's. Bruce had appeared, virtually out of nowhere, claiming the boy as his own and insisting they leave as soon as possible. Forgetting Bruce for the moment, there were still many issues with the situation. The primary one for Rodney where the guards. There were huge, well-trained, and spoke harshly with everyone they met. They most certainly have little respect for the knights of Araluen. With King Duncan coming down in a few short days, Rodney was really worried about what these men might do.

With soft, worried goodbyes, both men said good night. Halt immediately set off to the stables to retrieve Abelard. After saddling the horse, he set off for his cabin. Rodney, meanwhile, slowly made his way to his own apartments. It was past midnight and both men had early mornings ahead of them. For Rodney, it meant working with Baron Arald to prepare for the king's arrival. For Halt, it meant continuing his training with the Will and possibly spying on Bruce. With a heavy, worried heart, halt push open the door to his cabin and walked inside. Sure enough, sitting next to the fireplace for the cup of coffee was Bruce. Two pairs of dark eyes glared at each other as each one waited for the other to make a move. Finally Bruce Rose, put down his mug of coffee, and walked towards the door.

As he passed Halt, Bruce quietly whispered in the man's ear, "Think you're so clever that you can sneak around me without me knowing? I think not! Beware where you walk, Ranger. One of these days you'll take one step too far."

"For Will," Halt whispered to the empty cabin, "I am willing to do much worse."

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 **Sorry this was so short but I can only dictate for so long. It's a time-consuming process for me but I'm getting the hang of it. I'll do what I can to have the next chapter up this weekend. First, I need to finish a test and a presentation.**

 **Feel free to private message me with any questions.**

 **See you all soon!**


	5. Chapter 5

**NOTE: I don't own any of the characters from Ranger's Apprentice! I just own Will's father.**

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 **2** **nd** **NOTE: A pet project of mine is finally completed! I officially have my own website which you can find at** www storiesarewritersdreams weebly com (the spaces represent periods). **That is: Stories Are Writers Dreams. On this website, you can discuss your favorite books (I'll even allow for homework help if you really need it), I'll post any fan-art that I receive, you can talk with me about anything, and** _ **eventually**_ **you can have me write short stories for you. Hope some of you come to see it!**

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 **3** **rd** **NOTE: Finals are coming up for me. I'll try to post next week/weekend. If not, I'm really sorry but school must come first.**

 **To show how sorry I will be, here a proposal: Vote YES in the comments if you want me to give a little description on the book I'm writing. You'll be the first ones to see it (well, besides the friend who is acting as my proofreader). Keep this in mind.**

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 **Now on to the actually story!**

 **Review and Enjoy!**

Unknown Blood Chapter 5

It was not overly hard to spot it. That feeling had always been there really. The feeling of worms wriggling in his stomach, of the cold ice freezing his veins. It was only a matter of time until he noticed it. Only a matter of time before he understood what it meant.

Will was doing his chores outside Halt's cabin when he first began to recognize the feeling. His father had just trotted into view with some of his men. Halt stepped out onto the verandah, those dark eyes watching them like a hawk ready to strike. Bruce gave Halt a simple nod, showing no emotion. Distrust was a mutual feeling between them. Will could sense it from where he was crouching in the bushes. The bucket of water he had just fetched rested at his feet. The two men exchanged a quick word before Bruce led his horse over to Abelard and Tug. Both shaggy horses gave a little neigh in greeting. Bruce's paint flicked its tail and turned its back to them. Even the horses were having problems which each other.

The next time was not with Halt and Bruce. Instead it was with Sir Horace. Will was laughing and joking with the young knight when his father came walking past. Spotting him, Will called him over and introduced them. Horace instantly gave his hand, congratulating Bruce on finding Will and wishing them happiness. Bruce took the hand and gave a small smile. Then he asked his son if he could find Render, the captain of his guard. Nodding, Will left to do that. However, he stopped as he rounded the corner. That's when he heard his father hiss angrily at Horace:

"Stay away from my son if you know what's good for you."

Horace ignored Bruce's warning, however. He continued to talk with Will. Everyone did. It started becoming more common for Bruce to approach and pull Will away with some question or request. Will couldn't understand it. He thought his father would be happy he was spending time with his friends. After all, once they left for home they would have plenty of time together. There was no need to act mean and jealous. It was an itch that was starting to bother Will.

Then he heard a conversation that made him nervous.

Will was walking back to Halt's cabin after eating with his father. When he had left, Will could sense that his father did not approve of Will's choice to continue his training until they left. Why, the boy could not fathom. The woods around Will were dark. He had chosen the woodland path to Halt's cabin instead of the main road. That took him close to a small clearing. It was there he heard the voices.

"What's the plan?"

"Why are you asking me? I'm not the boss."

"Quiet down, both of you!" snapped the deep voice of Render.

Will's feet stopped dead. Quickly he dropped into a crouch and moved toward the clearing. Standing there were all of Bruce's guards. Each one was leaning against a tree, blending in perfectly. Then a short, soft whinny cut through the air. That's when Bruce appeared from the trees opposite of Will. His paint horse was walking quietly, avoiding anything that could make a sound. Halting the animal, Bruce dismounted. At once his guards swarmed forward.

"Well, Boss, what's our orders?" asked the first man, the lankiest of the group.

Bruce looked at him, "You know your orders. Stay low and keep your eyes and ears open. But, more importantly, keep your mouth _shut_." As he snapped the last word, he backhand slapped the lanky guard. With a growl, he continued, "It's bad enough to have the Battlemaster investigating us. Now we have the Ranger and the King looking into us. I don't want our plans getting out until we are ready. To do so would ruin everything I'm trying to accomplish."

"Forgive me, Boss, but you don't seem to be doing your job. We were supposed to leave several weeks ago," spoke the second voice, a broad shoulder man with a broken nose and massive hands.

Bruce glared at him, "To pull Will away from this place too soon will set alarm bells in everyone's minds. I've come too far, searched for far too long, to lose him now. When he is ready, then we'll leave. The problem is keeping his friends away from him. I know their responsible for why he taking so long."

Render stepped forward, "Then why don't we take care of that. We've done it before. We can do it again."

Bruce nodded, rubbing his chin. Will's stomach knotted as he watched his father smile. "Yes," Bruce said, "It worked before. It'll work again." He looked at Render. "Finish it. You know my parameters: no witness, no evidence, and no chains."

Render and the others bowed, "By the full moon, it will be done."

Will's heart leaped into his mouth. The full moon was only two days away. Silently he slinked back to his path and continued onward. Reaching the cabin, he entered, said good-night to Halt, and entered his room. Once in bed, Will let his mind start thinking. Two days with a target set.

But who was the target?

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 **Dun, dun, dunnnn! Please look at my website if you have time and tell me if you want to give you a "preview" to my story.**

 **Sorry this was so short. Dictation takes forever. My wrist is so bad I can't write more than a few sentences.**

 **See you soon!**


	6. Chapter 6

**NOTE: I don't own any of the characters from Ranger's Apprentice! I just own Bruce and that whole lot.**

 **Got this done faster than expected. Since finals are right around the corner, you won't see me for the next two weeks. I have to study…big time. And since my wrist still can't do anything I have to talk to my teachers about the finals. Good luck to any with finals!**

 **Ok, as promised: My bottom Author Note contains the preview of my book. HOWEVER, it will only be there for a week. I don't want too many people getting wind of my story.**

 **Review and Enjoy!**

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Unknown Blood Chapter 6

Will raced towards the Tarbus River at top speed. Shouting had come from that direction. By the sounds of it, someone had fallen in and had not come back up. His heart in his mouth, Will pushed himself harder. His father's words rang in his ears. Was this the doing of his men? If so, who was it in the river? Halt? Horace? George? Jenny, maybe? Deep down Will prayed really hard that it was not Alyss.

Reaching the riverbank, he searched the moving water. There! A hand appeared briefly from the water. At once Will dove in. Even if this was not his father's doing, the person still needed to be rescued. As a Ranger, that was his duty. Finally Will got close enough to see the person in the water…

Horace, bound and gagged.

The struggling young knight had managed to get one hand free. It was that hand Will had seen from the bank. Will swam to him, hooked his arms under the knight's shoulders, and heaved. Lungs about to burst, Will and Horace broke the surface. With a whistle, Will called for Tug and started towards the riverbank. Horace was breathing heavily and coughing up water. It had been a close call. Will, his back to the riverbank, heard hoofbeats then splashing water. Tug had arrived. But then hands seized ahold of him and yanked him out of the water. Shocked, Will barely managed to hold on to his friend. Soon they both were laying on shore. That's when Halt appeared next to Horace, cutting the knight's bonds and helping him to cough up the last of the water. Will thought for a second that it was Halt who dragged them out. That thought, however, was dispelled the instant someone behind him began rubbing his back.

With a groan, Will tried to sit up. Instantly Bruce's voice entered his ears, "Easy there, my son. Everything is alright now. You did good."

"Who…" Will coughed, signaling to Horace.

Bruce pulled his son close, close enough that Will could hear the growl in his voice, "I don't know. Whoever is responsible will pay. Horace didn't deserve this."

"Agreed," Halt said gruffly, helping the knight to his feet. "None of Will's friends deserve this."

That put a snarl on Bruce's face, "You think I or one of my men had something to do with this outrage!?"

"Logical but no. Will had made several enemies over the years as a Ranger's Apprentice. The same goes for Horace. Someone may be targeting them to attack one of these two," Halt replied calmly, his dark eyes narrowing at Bruce.

With that awkward, tense silence, the little group headed for Redmont.

"You sure it was them?" Halt asked.

Will nodded fervently, "My father's guards are not easy to miss. Plus, I may not know him well but I know my father enough to recognize his voice. It was them."

Duncan frowned worriedly, as did Arald and Rodney. Horace shook his head and rubbed his temples. Cassandra, seeing this, gently laid a hand on his shoulder. The young knight gave her a weak smile. He did not know who attacked him. However, it was a group of men. He was sure of that. They pounced him as he walked towards Wensley Village, threw a sack over his head, then bound him hand and foot. Next thing he knew, he was hurled into the river and left to drown. Eventually the current took the sack off his head so he see. Shortly later Will dove into the water after him.

Now Duncan, Cassandra, Halt, Crowley, Will, Baron Arald, Sir Rodney, and Lady Pauline were in the infirmary "checking on him". In truth, Will had asked for everyone to meet him there. With his nighttime story told, Will hung his head. Everyone gave him a look of sympathy. It would be hard to admit your own father had something to do with the attempted murder of your best friend. Pauline gently laid her hands on the boy's shoulders. Even Halt drew closer to his apprentice in an attempt to cheer him up.

Crowley finally broke the silence, "Now that we have a suspect, how are we going to find evidence? Obviously whoever it was went out of their way to cover their tracks. Also, Bruce and his men already know that Rodney and Halt are keeping an eye on them."

"I don't think we can do anything," Duncan sighed. "All evidence is bound to be destroyed by now. Bruce and his men, if it was them, will be cautious now. Also, I have no real power over them without substantial evidence. I can't even order a search."

Will perked up at that moment, "I can search. I doubt my father would be prepared for that."

"I think not," Pauline said quickly, giving the boy a tight smile. "It's hard enough to have your father appear out of the blue like this. Now you're worrying if he had something to do with Horace's attack. I think, for now, we should give them the benefit of the doubt. Keep an eye on them for sure but also keep our distance."

The others nodded in agreement. Halt and Crowley exchanged a look that told everyone they would figure out some way of tracking down Horace's attackers. Arald and Rodney declared they would keep an eye of Will's friends, just to be safe. Halt's earlier comment to Bruce may not have been far off. Duncan would continue preparing the official paperwork, releasing Will from Araluen custody.

It was at that moment that a knock rang on the door.

Duncan called for the person to enter. Bruce apologetically stepped in. He asked how Horace was doing, adding that he hoped the men responsible were captured. The Araluens gave him a warm smile, accepting his kindness. Then Bruce gave his son a sorrowful look.

Holding up a piece of paper, Bruce spoke quietly, "I have been called back by my king. Sorry, my son…

But we must leave tomorrow."

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 **No, I won't tell you if Bruce was behind Horace's attack. That's for all to figure out.**


	7. Chapter 7

**NOTE: I don't own any of the characters from Ranger's Apprentice! I just own Bruce and that whole group.**

 **So it seems this story won out. Therefore, I will be continuing with this story. For any who didn't vote, you can thank those who did. Light Against Dark has been removed permanently. Why? Because many of you were begging for Unknown Blood to become a series. I will admit that it was never planned that way but I am already in the process of reworking my plans so that it can be.**

 **So be patient as I work around my hand. You have another series to sit through!**

 **Review and Enjoy!**

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Unknown Blood Chapter 7

"Stay safe, Will. We'll miss you," Alyss whispered into her friend's ear.

Will felt tears pricking his eyes, "I'll miss you too. All of you."

With that, the two separated. Alyss smiled warmly at him, trying to fight back the tears in her eyes. Now it was Jenny's turn to hug her friend. The blond, plump cook was crying tears of joy for Will. She was so happy that he finally had a family. Horace and George were waiting patiently for their turn. When it came, they warmly shook hands with their friend and Wardmate. Then bowed to King Duncan and Baron Arald. Cassandra wrapped him in an embrace as well, not wanting to say goodbye to the man that saved her from Skandia. They had been through so much together but now this was last she was going to see of him. However, she was happy that he was finally going home.

After them came Halt. The grizzled Ranger did not want Will to go. He felt that something was going on that he could not figure out. However, Bruce had only ever taken care of the boy. Now they were leaving. It pained Halt to say goodbye but Will deserved to have his true family. He took Will's hand, shaking it firmly. His other hand rested on the young man's shoulder. Those dark eyes met Will's brown gaze, fighting back the tears that he was also feeling. The young man smiled warmly at him.

"Remain safe. I don't want to have to come and rescue you," Halt said gruffly.

That brought a laugh from Will, "I will, Halt. I promise to stay in touch. No matter what, I won't forget everything you taught me."

Now that truly made Halt's heart warm. He was really going to miss his lively, energetic apprentice. Will removed his bronze oakleaf and stepped towards Crowley. The Ranger Commandment took the oakleaf and put it in a pocket. However, he stopped Will from handing over his cloak and knives.

"Keep them. They may come in handy at some point. They're yours, as is Tug. Stay safe, young Will. The entire Corps is sorry to lose you but we are happy to see you finally found your family," Crowley had said softly to the boy.

Nodding, Will shook his hand. Then he turned and mounted Tug. Bruce had been patiently waiting for his son to say his goodbyes. Now they were ready to go. Clicking his tongue, he set off at a trot. Tug tossed his head and quickly followed. The guards set off in a protective circle around the two. Will looked back once when they reached the rise he had stopped on when racing to get aid against the Kalkara. The sun was making the red stone glow. He was going to miss this place, especially Halt's cabin. Smiling, Will knew he would never forget. Now he was on his way home, to his true home, with his father.

Will leaned over Tug and whispered, "Come on, boy. Let's go on another adventure."

Tug whinnied happily. He set off at a gallop after the group. Bruce looked startled as the two raced past him. Then he smiled. He was glad to see that his son was happy to be going home. Deep down he had been afraid his son would change his mind. Not that he would blame him. Araluen had been his home his entire life. Tapping his heels to the paint's flank, Bruce set off after his son. The guards followed, remaining silent.

They were just there to guard their master and his son.

"Welcome to Thornguard, my son," Bruce said as the ship pulled into a harbor.

Will looked over the railing of the ship. He was excited, to say the least. This was the first stop on the way to his father's castle. The town was strewn along the harbor's shore. It really did not look much different from Araluen. People bustled around, going about their daily lives. The men on the docks called to the captain and the crew. Soon the ropes were thrown down to them. Will could here shop owners calling out there wears. A large bell tolled for midday. Seagulls flew overhead, cawing away. Will took a deep, steadying breath. Bruce remained at his side. Those brown eyes watched his son take in the new surroundings. A proud, happy smile appeared on his lips.

The guards guided Tug and the other horses down to the docks. Bruce followed shortly after with Will. Quickly they mounted and set off. Will's eyes scanned the world around him. He wanted to see as much as possible while they were here. However, he understood that they had to hurry. The king wanted to see Bruce as soon as possible. His sharp eyes were trained by Halt to notice the smallest things. Because of this, Will noticed how people glanced worriedly at Bruce. His father had changed on the ship, replacing a tan shirt with a white one. Sewed carefully into the shirt was his emblem of the four-legged snake. It was this symbol that people were looking at. Will frowned, confused. Why were they worried? Who did they think his father was? As far as Will knew, they had nothing to be fearful of. Bruce was kind man.

Wasn't he?

Will's mind saw the image of Horace struggling against his bonds under the water. Someone had attacked him. Someone wanted him to die. Will could not forget seeing his father and his guards in that clearing. They had been planning something. But what? Looking at his father's back, Will felt that worm of doubt in the pit of his stomach. Maybe Horace had been the target. Maybe it had been Bruce's guards who had attacked the knight. Quickly Will shook the thoughts from his mind. Bruce was his father. He loved Will. Surely he would not want Will's friends to die. That would not be right. No, Horace had been attacked by someone else.

But Will did not know the secrets his father was hiding.

The first came when they reached Bruce's castle.

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 **Leaving it as a cliffhanger.**

 **You guys can't even begin to comprehend how many secrets Bruce has hidden away. Try to see if you can guess the one I just referred to. It's not too hard but it has a lot of implications behind it.**

 **See you soon!**


	8. Chapter 8

**NOTE: I don't own any of the characters from Ranger's Apprentice! I just own Bruce and that whole lot.**

 **So sorry for the delay. Finals week got really busy when some friends of mine needed help at work. Not only that but…OW…(gritting teeth) wrist has gotten worse. Fighting through it but I only have so much energy to give.**

 **Please give me encouragement and support. If you do then I'll try to have a chapter up in a few more days. If not then you'll have to wait while I figure out what's wrong and how to fix it. I can only do so much. Even my book is on hold right. Again, really sorry. I tried to make this chapter longer for you guys.**

 **Review and Enjoy!**

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Unknown Blood Chapter 8

 _(Country: Quarize- like Core-ize. Where: Beyond the mountains of Celtica)_

"Welcome home, my son," Bruce said, looking down at his son riding beside him.

The large castle loomed above them. Wisps of clouds danced around the top of the tall spires. The dark grey stones that made the foundation were huge and heavy. The castle walls themselves were completely smooth, carved from the mountainside. A thick drawbridge crossed a deep gorge, a natural fortification that everyone referred to as the Split. Will shivered unconsciously, remembering the Fissure in Araluen/Celtica. This divide and the bridge reminded him all too well about those days when he and Cassandra were captured.

Bruce noticed the shiver. His brown eyes looked questioningly at his son. Will, however, was preoccupied with his memories. Shrugging, Bruce figured we would ask about it later. After all, he had already seen his son's good head for heights. Will had shown him by climbing a tall tree while they were on a hike around Redmont. It terrified Bruce to see his son so nonchalant up that high. Worried and scared, he had ordered Will down before his son was even half way up. Will had been utterly confused but had obeyed. Later Bruce challenged Halt about it. The Ranger had shrugged it away, saying that Will had been doing stuff like that since he was little. After that talk, Bruce had vowed to make sure Will never did something like that again.

Beyond the towering walls was a large courtyard. Servants bustled to and fro, doing their jobs. A statue stood tall in the center, surrounded by grass, of a man. Bruce quickly explained to his son that this was the first king, King Render, who united the country in a time of constant war. Under his leadership, the country not only united but carved out a place and name for itself. Nodding, Will allowed his eyes to scan the rest of the area. A large stable was off to the left. In front was a powerful, long-legged, white stallion. Several servants were working on the animal, brushing its coat until in shined, currying the mane and tail until it was perfect, and polishing the hooves.

"Hm," Will heard his father mutter, "Wasn't expecting him to be here so soon. Not with the northern border disputes."

Servants from the stables raced forward to claim the horses. One, a blond haired young boy with brown eyes, stepped towards Tug. Will shook his head, tossed the reins over Tug's back, then pointed to the boy. To Tug he said softly, "Follow, Tug. Follow." Tug tossed his head and stepped towards the boy. The young man looked stunned as the small horse nudged his arm. Most of the horses trained here would have kicked him or tried to bite him. Will smiled and gestured for him to turn and walk to the stables. Obeying, the young man watched Tug worriedly. The small horse simply snorted and walked calmly behind him. Then Will turned back to father. Bruce was waiting patiently, brown eyes watching in amusement of the scene. Then, together, they headed inside.

If Will was impressed with the outside then his breath was taken away by the inside. Smooth granite pillars stretched high above him. Marble, smooth and continuous, washed over the floor. Flags hung from where they were imbedded in the walls. Each depicted a different crest. Bruce told his son that every lord honored the others by hanging flags bearing their crests. Pictures also decorated the walls. Each was of a man or woman, important people in history. One alone caught Will's eye. It was a painting of Bruce and a young woman. She was exactly as Halt had described her. His mother. Tears appeared in his eyes. Tears of pain, of anger. Why had fate been so cruel to him? He never got to meet his brave uncle, his beautiful and kind mother, and he barely got to meet his father. Bruce wrapped an arm around his son's shoulders. He understood what was going through his head. Slowly he drew his son away from the painting and onward down the halls.

Soon they reached two massive doors, stretching from the floor to almost the ceiling. His father's symbol of the four-legged snake was plated in gold. The rest of the wood was red. No damage could be seen in the wood. The servants kept it in top condition. Three guards came to attention as Bruce and his son approached. However, each man bore a different symbol than his father's. Will's eyes narrowed as he studied it. It was a similar: a snake with four legs but this one had wings and sharp spines growing from its back. Again Will wondered what type of animal this creature was.

"Is he here?" Bruce asked.

The lead guard nodded, "Yes, sir. He awaits the both of you inside."

With that, the guard knocked on the doors. Then the hinges groaned as the doors were pulled apart to either side. Inside Will could see was a throne room. Large windows were on his left. On his right was seating for a jury and spectators. Flags bearing his father's emblem hung high overhead. A red carpet was rolled out from the door to the far end. There Will could see a raised area, five steps leading up to it. All of it was made from pure marble. A large, wooden throne with soft cushioning sat tall. It was occupied by another man. Will felt his heart beat faster.

The king!

The king was of medium height with broad shoulders, black hair and beard, and piercing blue eyes. Like Bruce, a purple cape hung from his right shoulder, his emblem holding it to his white shirt. His sword rested against the throne by his left leg. Should a threat come his way, he would draw the razor-sharp blade in seconds. A large ruby glowed like a drop of blood from the hilt handle. As Bruce and Will approached, a warm smile appeared under that black mustache and beard. He rose from the throne, walked down the steps, and embraced Bruce.

A deep, rumbling chuckle came from his chest as he spoke, "So glad you made it back safely, Bruce. Even happier your mission was a success."

"Thank you. I was not expecting you to be here," Bruce replied, holding his king at arms' length.

Will was shocked at the nonchalant, even challenging tone in his father's voice. He thought his father would be more respectful. This was the king he was talking to! Both men seemed to sense his shock. They turned to him, warm smiles on both of their faces. Then the king stepped closer. His powerful, massively muscled arms wrapped around Will in an embrace. He even picked the young man off the floor.

His voice was deep but very soft in Will's ear, "Glad to have you home, Will! I've been bursting with excitement ever since Bruce told me he found you!"

He gently put Will down as Bruce came over. Will's father smiled at his son. Then he gestured to the king.

"Will, this is King Othon **(Oath-on)**. He is the eldest son from King Thorn. He is also my brother and your uncle."

That was the first surprise that Will was going to receive. He was of royal descent! Together the group left the throne room. With a man on either side of him, Will was shown the rest of the castle. According to his uncle, the King's castle was even more magnificent than this castle. However, Bruce had wanted this one when their father offered him his choice. Bruce had never cared about the throne. He was perfectly happy leaving it in the hands of his eldest brother. Both informed Will that he did have three other uncles but all had passed, either in combat or from illness. That's why finding Will had been so important.

He was only heir they had.

Later that night, Will was talking to his father by a warm fire. They had eaten a delicious meal of venison, freshly hunted just for them. Will's curiosity had kept him asking questions the entire night. King Othon and Bruce tolerated it. They could understand how he wanted to learn as much as possible. Will knew nothing of his homeland. All he knew was Araluen. But now Will was tired, ready for bed. However, he had one question for his father now that they were alone.

Will looked up at Bruce and asked tentatively, "Father?"

"Yes?" Bruce replied, meeting his son's questioning gaze.

Will frowned, trying to figure out how to ask it. Finally he continued, "When Halt and King Duncan were asking you about your family, you said you were a lord. Why?"

"Because I am, Will. That's my station in life," Bruce replied easily.

Will shook his head, "Why did you not tell them that you were related to the royal family, that you _are_ of the royal family?"

"Will…" Bruce began, pulling his son closer. "We have many enemies. Many other people want our land. By leaving to find you, I opened myself up to an attack. It was better to hide my true nature, just in case someone was eavesdropping nearby. I didn't want to put you at risk."

That made sense to Will. Yet the image of his father talking with those massive guards flashed before his eyes. Looking back into his father's gaze, he nodded and smiled. Bruce smiled back. It was not long after that Bruce noticed Will had fallen asleep in his arms. Quietly he picked up the young man and carried him to his new bed. With his son wrapped in the blankets and sleeping peacefully, Bruce quietly left. However, he did not head for his own bed. Instead he left their apartment and walked down the hallway to another apartment door. Softly he knocked, watching his own room with suspicion. Soon the door opened and he vanished inside.

It was almost dawn by the time Bruce and Othon were done with their conversation.

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 **If you give me support and encouragement, I'll work as hard as I can on the next chapter. Most of the time lately I only have enough energy to get through my basic life. Your encouragement and support will go a long way in helping me.**

 **Feel free to private message me at any time!**


	9. Chapter 9

**NOTE: I don't own any of the characters from Ranger's Apprentice! I just own Will's family and the country of Quarize.**

 **I'm so sorry this took so long. I was trying really hard to get to it but I was visiting family then starting my doctor visits for my wrist. Since I'm an uber nerd I'll be starting summer school next week. However, I don't expect it to get that bad. I also know some of you want longer chapters but with my wrist there is only so much I can do. I promise to try and write longer chapters. However, longer chapters will take longer to write. So you must choose:**

 **Longer chapters or chapters faster. Vote.**

 **Now time to learn another secret that Bruce has been keeping from Will. This one leads to a whole boatload of other secrets…and some dark, bloody lies.**

 **Review and Enjoy!**

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Unknown Blood Chapter 9

The arrows ripped through the targets that had been set up. Will lowered his bow, eyes narrowing as he studied his work. Around him were other archers. They were skilled but nowhere near his level. All of Will's arrows had torn through the center rings easily. Everyone else only hit the center once in a while. Will sighed weakly. He had asked if he could train with the other archers in his father's forces. The archers had welcomed him warmly into their ranks. However, none of them were able to teach him anything new. Often it was Will teaching them something new. Will sighed again, missing the Ranger Gatherings where he would improve after a challenge from one of the other Ranger apprentices.

"Impressive, sir," came the now familiar voice of Grayson.

Turning around, Will faced the young man. He was slightly taller and extremely thin. His light skin was often covered in dirt or dust or mud. However, his bright blue eyes were always sparkling and a smile never left his face. His dark brown hair was well brushed and his tan clothes were well cleaned. Grayson was Will's personal slave. However, Will preferred the word servant. Will had actually intervened when Render was punishing Grayson. It had been a small mistake but Render was drunk and in a foul mood. Will had happened to be walking past and attracted to Render's loud cursing. Seeing the scene, Will could not help but remember his time in Skandia. That had been enough to make him snap. Bruce and King Othon had been summoned by a servant that there had been a problem. Upon entering the room, they found Will bandaging Grayson up. Render was nursing a black eye, swollen jaw, and a cut lip. Also, his other arm was wrapped protectively around his stomach. The doctor confirmed that Will had been a rib.

When questioned, Will simply replied, "I don't like slavery." Then his dark brown eyes bore into them, "After all, I was captured and sold into slavery myself."

After that encounter, young Grayson had stuck to Will like glue. He looked up to Will despite being the same age. Will personally cared about the young man. Grayson's happy personality reminded Will of his friends. Bruce heavily disapproved of Will making any connection to Grayson. After all, Grayson's job was to serve Will totally. In an event Will is attacked, Grayson's job would be to protect his master even though he had no training. The thought made Will sick. Such a job was basically suicide.

Will smiled at Grayson, "If you're impressed by me then you have to meet my former mentor. He's far better than me. By a longshot."

Grayson laughed at the reference to that fact Rangers used longbows. Together they walked back towards the castle. Grayson may be a servant but he was the closest thing Will had to a friend. Several other lords had traveled to greet Will and welcome him home. Many had brought their children along. All of them had acted friendly and warm but that was all it was- an act. They were simply trying to impress a member of the royal family. After all, Will was the only heir to the throne. Better to get on Will's good side. Their true personalities were more proud and too good for their own good. Will had played along with their games. They were no friends. Will did not trust them as far as he could shoot. Grayson alone seemed to treat Will as a normal person. Together they talked, laughed, and joked. Grayson saw him as a good master. Will saw him as a human being, not a slave. They both needed each other.

Walking through the castle courtyard, Will noticed several of the knights practicing together. Their swords reflected the afternoon light. Sweat poured down their bodies. However, they kept at it until one defeated the other. Even in practice there was competition. Only the best knights ever gained favor in a lord's eyes. Favor equaled power. Power meant they were less likely to die in battle because they could hold back with the lords and king. Such people only fought when absolutely necessary. Will rolled his eyes. He was happy being an archer. Sword work, being a knight, no longer interested him.

"I'll get you some water and clean clothes," Grayson said as they entered the castle.

Will nodded, "Thank you, Grayson. No need to rush. Shooting arrows isn't as strenuous as it used to be."

Grayson nodded and took off. Will shook his head. That young man always wanted to please Will. Not because of Bruce's threats but because he genuinely cared. Will slowly walked towards his apartments. He knew Bruce and Othon were in the private offices discussing matters concerning the state. Will grimaced, knowing that he would have to do that stuff one day. Passing a hall, Will suddenly paused. He looked down it for a few seconds before deciding to go down it. There was something here that had always confused him. The castle staff and knights has always answered his questions concerning the paintings. However, one day he came across one painting that was covered in black cloth. No one would talk to him about it. No one would even look at it. It was not long before Will found it. He stared up at it. The black cloth was thick and covered the painting and its frame. Gingerly Will touched the cloth, wondering what was behind it. Who was in the painting that no one wanted to talk about?

Footsteps made Will turn. It was Grayson returning with the water. He had left the clothes on Will's bed. Will smiled at him before looking back up the painting. The young man joined his side. Neither one spoke. Both just stood there. Grayson could sense Will's curiosity but was afraid to speak. His blue eyes glanced over at his master. Finally he could hold his tongue no longer.

"This painting has been covered since I was born. They say that Lord Bruce can't bear to look at it," Grayson whispered.

Will looked at him, "Who is it?"

"I don't know. No one has ever told me the person's name. All I know is that the person is a man who died shortly before you and I were born. Supposedly it broke your father's heart to bury the man," Grayson murmured.

Curiosity burned deep in Will's body. He wanted to know. Something about this painting held a secret of his father's. He determined that tonight he would learn the truth. There was so much that he did not understand about his father. It was high time that he started understanding. It was time for his father to start telling him the truth. Bruce needed to be honest with him. Will wanted to know, wanted to understand, wanted to be there for his father. Yes, tonight he would ask…

* * *

Bruce blinked when Will point blankly asked about the covered picture in the hall. When his son said he had a question this was not the one he was expecting. Now his thoughts raced a mile a minute trying to think of some way to answer his son's question. Finally he sighed weakly and scratched the back of his head. This was not a topic he wanted to visit but it was time that his son learned the truth. Then an idea came to him. It was an idea that brought a smile to his face, not that he would show it to Will. Laying a hand on his son's shoulder, Bruce led Will to the painting.

"This is not something I wanted to share with you Will," Bruce began, making his apology through his tone. "It's a painful topic, to say the least. Also, you know so little about your family. I wanted to know those in the present before I spoke about the past. Now that you have asked, I guess it's time you learned."

They reached the painting a few minutes later. Carefully Bruce removed the black cloth. Will stared up at the picture. Compared to some of the other paintings, this one was quite simple. It depicted a young man, not much older than Will, who was dressed in armor. He was standing in Bruce's personal office that adjoined Bruce's bedroom. The man had black hair and brown eyes. Will swore that he looked like a younger version of Bruce. On his chest was the emblem of the four-legged snake. However this one rearing on its hind legs, jaws open with the tongue sticking out, and the front paws looking ready to strike an unseen enemy. At his hip was a sword. An emerald was imbedded in the handle, the crossguard was platted with gold. Each tip formed the head of his snake, jaws parted revealing sharp fangs but no tongue sticking out. In all he was a handsome young man. Will's heart started to beat faster. Already his mind was piecing it together. He turned to look at his father. Bruce's brown eyes had tears in them as he looked up at the painting. With a heavy sigh, he turned his attention to his son.

"His name was Tyler," Bruce said, waving a hand at the painting. "He was your older brother, Will, and my first child. When part of the country rose up, Tyler was insistent on coming along. We left your mother, just pregnant with you, here at this castle. In the first clash, our forces were quickly put on the defensive. Tyler saw some men in trouble and raced to help them. He had inherited much of Daniel's and your mother's courage. I tried to get to him when a stray crossbolt took him in the chest." Bruce looked away, tears running down his face. "Tyler still got up and kept fighting. The wound was painful but not fatal.

You know that we believe in fair battle and honorable deaths. Tyler defeated one of the men who started pleading for his life. Your brother let him go. As he turned to head for the medical tent, the man _he_ spared stabbed _him_ in the back. Tyler died in my arms. That coward managed to escape from us." Bruce laid his hands on his son's shoulders, kneeling to Will's height. "I covered this painting because it reminds me that I failed to avenge your brother. Your mother was heartbroken over his death."

Will felt tears pricking his eyes. His mind jumped to the logical timeline, "Then this castle was attacked. Mother and I were separated from you."

"Yes. The attack on this castle happened three weeks after Tyler's death," Bruce said, nodding. Then he closed his brown eyes, "I failed everyone that year. Tyler. Your mother. You."

Will wrapped his father in an embrace, "No. You didn't fail anyone. You tried your best to keep us all safe. You tried everything. You didn't fail."

"Thank you for not being upset, my son," Bruce whispered, holding his son close.

Later that night, Bruce pulled out Tyler's old sword. According to Bruce, Tyler had been so looking forward to having a younger sibling. He hoped it was a little brother he could practice swordsmanship with. Therefore, Bruce believed that Tyler would want Will to have his sword, even if Will never used it. Will continued to study the fine weapon well into the night. It almost seemed to him that his big brother was part of the sword. Now it seemed his big brother was with him, in spirit. Will finally clutched the sword close to his chest and let the tears fall.

Into the darkness he whispered tightly, "I promise, Tyler, I'll follow in your footsteps. I'll remember you and will honor you by learning to use the sword. I'm an archer at heart but I'll never be separated from this blade.

I promise to avenge your death but honoring your memory."

He fell asleep with the sword at his side. As soon as he was breathing deep, his door silently opened. A cloaked figure crept over to his bed. It knew which boards would creak and groan. It knew that Will's ears were highly trained to catch the smallest sound. However, the figure had walked these same steps every night since Will came home. The figure stopped next to Will's bed and watched him sleep for a few minutes. Then a gloved hand gently touched the young man's cheek. Then the figure turned and silently left the room. It exited the apartments and paused in indecision. Suddenly it darted down towards King Othon's apartments. Slowly it opened the door and listened for a few minutes. With a shake of the head, the figure closed the door and headed for the secret entrance to the castle. Once well beyond the walls the figure paused and looked back at Will's window. It raised the gloved hand that had touched Will's cheek to its lips.

"Your promise is heard. You have the heart but I wonder if you know the truth,

Brother."

* * *

 **(Cackling loudly) I love this twist. Was going to put it in later but I thought "why not, it fits". Hope you enjoyed. Will work on the next chapter soon.**

 **Please tell me if you want longer chapters or quicker posts. It lets me know what I have to work on. Don't worry, I won't leave anything out if I do quicker posts but shorter chapters. You'll get everything either way.**


	10. Chapter 10

**NOTE: I don't own any characters from Ranger's Apprentice! I just own Will's family and the country of Quarize.**

 **Sorry for the wait. My review page went down for a few days so I couldn't see your lovely posts. On that topic: Thank you all so much for the support! I'm glad to see that you are still hanging in with me, with my wrist, with my doctor appointments, and with my schooling.**

 **This chapter is shorter. I figured you guys would want to meet Tyler a little more. Trust me, you'll walk away with more questions than answers.**

 **Review and Enjoy!**

* * *

Unknown Blood 10

It was deep in the mountains. The sky was dark with overcasting clouds. Rain was coming quickly. Everyone knew it, felt it. Here in these mountains lies a cave. In the back of the cave is a hidden door. Slowly this door was pushed open. A cloaked figure slipped inside, looked around carefully, then closed the door. He had to be cautious. His mission was life or death. Now his mission was even more important.

Three men appeared from the shadows. Together the four pushed back their cowls and revealed their faces. One's graying hair made him look ten years older than he actually was but his green eyes flashed with as much youth as those around him. The second was a brown haired, brown eyed young man. A scar pulled his left, upper lip away from the bottom one, revealing white teeth. The third was bald with blue eyes and extremely muscular. Lastly was Tyler himself. A beard and mustache had grown thicker over the years but one could still recognize him. Those brown eyes sparked with frustration and exhaustion.

Roughly nineteen years.

Roughly nineteen years he had been hiding in these mountains. Away from his family. Unable to do a thing. Now it seemed as if all his effort was going to fail. With a snarl on his face, Tyler slammed his clenched fist onto a table. After nineteen years he had hoped for it all to be over. All his spying. All his plotting. All his hard work. Pointless! Useless! Tyler's body began to tremble with the suppressed rage inside of him. Tears were welling up in his eyes. He had tried so hard but now everything was falling apart. He had failed…

Failed his mother…

Failed his brother…

Failed his country…

A hand rested on his right shoulder. Looking that way, he saw the oldest of the group standing beside him. Those green eyes showed Tyler that the man understood. They all had given up so much for the cause. Everything they had done barely seemed to make a dent. Now they faced a wall they couldn't beat down. Not without spilling innocent blood. Not without ending a life that knew nothing. How could they? It was not right.

"There's still hope," said the scarred-lip man.

Tyler turned left to look at him, "What hope, Johnson? There is no hope. Not anymore."

"There's always hope when people still try," Johnson replied, giving Tyler a warm smile.

"Indeed," rumbled the deep voice of the bald man, known to everyone as Michael. When everyone was looking at him, he continued, "I've looked into his past, Tyler. I doubt he stands there willingly. More like unknowingly."

Tyler shook his head, "Most likely but what can we do? They've probably already whispered so many lies into his head. I know how hard it is to find the truth once all those whispers get in."

The older man, Thomas, tightened his grip on Tyler's shoulder, "Have faith. I watched with my own eyes as he saved a slave from a beating. He knows right from wrong. All we have to do is show what is right."

Tyler felt hope starting to lift his heart. Looking from Thomas to Michael to Johnson, Tyler felt as if they had a chance to win. Then he frowned. Who would he listen to? Would he believe them when they tried to show him? If he did listen, whose side would he stand on? After all, the line was drawn in blood and chains. Tyler had faced the same traps and barely managed to escape. Even then, it tore his heart to shreds. His body stood erect, his brown eyes flashing with determination, his beard and hair seeming to bristle with purpose. He knew what had to be done. Back to the castle he would go, not for a visit…

But with warning on his lips…

Truth in his heart…

And fate in his hands.

For he alone knew the consequences of failure: rivers of blood.

* * *

 **Hope you guys liked getting a looked into Tyler. No AlexaMarrinDaughterofPoseidon, Tyler is not Gilan. However, he carries just as many secrets as Bruce.**

 **The only difference is the consequences.**


	11. Chapter 11

**NOTE: I don't own any of the characters from Ranger's Apprentice! I just own Will's family and the country of Quarize.**

 **Please tell me if you want quicker but shorter chapters or longer chapters but longer wait times.**

 **The pieces are starting to fall into place. It's time to see if Will can catch up.**

 **Review and Enjoy!**

* * *

Unknown Blood Chapter 11

Will blocked his teacher's swing. He had been training for a month with one of the castle's best Swordmasters. Now he went on the offensive. His blows were all blocked easily. Yet there was one thing going for him. He was agile. That meant he could dodge while staying within attacking range. Most enemies would be unable to keep up with him as he ducked, dodged, and darted around them. This man, Grange, was easily keeping him at bay. Will kept trying. He kept getting better. He wanted to make his brother proud.

If only Tyler was there to see him.

Grange praised Will for the obvious improvement the boy was making. Even Bruce had to commend his son for his drive. Every day Will would practice the moves he had learned earlier. Often he would seek out other knights and ask to practice with them. Even they had to admit that Will was good. If only the young man was taller. Height would serve him well. However, Will said that height would take away from his agility. Most enemies would be hard-pressed to deal with that skill. Not only that but Will still loved to slink around the castle. His agility proved useful in that capacity. Being able to walk around with no one seeing made Will happy. He was at peace that way. His father hated it to no end. Will, a lord's son, the heir to the throne, had no right sneaking around. It was not good for the boy. Every time he caught Will, Bruce would threaten to destroy his Ranger cloak. Will, therefore, started hiding his old Ranger stuff. That way Bruce could never make do on those threats.

Walking down the halls, Will listened as Grayson talked to him. The servant was asking for tips on fighting. That was another thing Bruce would be enraged by if he ever found out about. Will was secretly teaching Grayson how to fight, both with the sword and the bow. The young servant was a natural fighter. Too bad he was stuck as a servant. He would do well in the army. Will's heart sighed as he thought about. Too many of the servants would be good, loyal soldiers if they were given the chance. However, they were stuck and there was nothing that could be done. Will knew the punishment for any runaway slave: death by torture.

" _It's not fair to them,"_ he thought sourly as Grayson made a fake jab forward.

That's when he saw it. The tail of a cloak vanishing around a corner. He instantly stopped and stared. Who else around here had a cloak? No one. He was sure of it. He had been told that wearing cloaks beyond for weather protection was deemed wrong. It meant that the person was up to no good. Will's hand fell to the sword at his hip. His brother's sword. A powerful weapon that would allow him to defeat an enemy if necessary.

"Will?" Grayson asked, looking worriedly at his friend and master.

Will met his gaze, a hardness coming in, "I just saw the end of a cloak. Someone means harm. You coming?"

Grayson drew himself erect. Will was his master. That meant that he was to stay at his side, no matter how dangerous things got. He nodded firmly. Will smiled warmly at him then darted after the figure. Grayson raced after him they rounded the corner in time to see the cloak vanishing around another further up. Instantly they raced in pursuit. Along the way, Grayson passed a bucket and mop. He grabbed the mop, snapping off the end. Now it was a staff that he could use against the enemy. Then gave chase to Will and the unknown, cloaked figure.

The chase went on for some time. Neither young man was able to catch up to the cloaked figure. If they were, then it would suddenly change direction. Will was starting to believe that the figure knew more about the castle then he and Grayson combined. The two, however, never gave up the chase. They were determined to catch the man. Onward they raced. Finally Will started to recognize the halls. He shared a quick, worried look with Grayson. The figure was heading to the apartments where the royal family stayed. That meant King Othon or Bruce could be under attack! Then Will shook his head. Both had gone out for a ride earlier. They were safe from this figure. Whoever it was.

They reached Will's family's apartment and found the door open. Grayson went first, ready for an ambush. The main sitting room was empty. Starting right, they checked Bruce's office and room, both of which were locked. Then they checked the dining area. Clear. Finally they approached Will's room. The area was dark but no man seemed to be hiding there. Grayson then pointed to Will's door, showing that the lock had been broken. His brother's sword at the ready, Will burst through the door. No one was inside. But there was something amiss. Will's Ranger cloak, his Ranger knives, and his bow and arrows were laying on the bed. Atop his cloak was a sheet of paper. Carefully Will approached. He checked under his bed while Grayson checked the closet. No one was waiting in ambush.

Gingerly Will picked up the paper and read aloud in a soft whisper:

 _Drip, Drip,_

 _Into the cup._

 _Drip, Drip,_

 _From the broken shield._

 _Drip, Drip,_

 _From the sword._

 _Blood was spilt time ago. Again it shall._

 _Who's next?_

"Will!" Grayson cried as the cloaked figure darted past the room as Will finished reading.

Grabbing the bow and arrows, Will followed Grayson after the man. Out of the apartments it raced. Through the halls at top speed. Even now, Will and Grayson could only follow by watching to the billowing cloak. They passed no guards, no other servants. No one outside would hear them sounding an alarm. Will gritted his teeth angrily. This figure had presumed to threaten his family! He would not lose it. The note had been sinister and Will wanted to know what it meant. Rounding a corner, both young men found themselves facing a drenched floor. It was water from the mop bucket. Both of their feet slid, slipped, then they hit the ground. The figure still raced on. Will cursed angrily as he got up. Not waiting for Grayson, he dashed in pursuit. There was no way this person was escaping him.

Will saw the cloak disappear around a corner. Racing to it, Will looked beyond. A dark hallway. This led to the old part of the castle. No one was allowed down this way. It used to contain Bruce's old apartments. After Will's brother and mother were gone, Bruce had moved. He was unable to sleep in the same bed without his wife. Unable to look at the same pieces of furniture without seeing the memories of his wife and son. Will's eyes narrowed into slits. Whoever he was chasing obviously meant to lead him here. An arrow came from his quiver and onto the bowstring. The sword was unhooked. It would be drawn in seconds of losing the bow. Carefully Will walked forward.

Halfway down he found the drops of blood on the floor.

At the end was an open door.

Will advanced inward. His muscles were relaxed. Those brown eyes were already adjusted to the darkness. He trusted his training with Halt and Grange. Inside, all of the furniture had been covered with sheets. Dust had settled upon everything. Before Will was a clear area where the dust had been swept aside. Obviously the person wanted Will to follow him here. Before Will were two stands. On each was a painting. The left one had two people on it. The right one was a single person. The blood trail led right to the paintings. Stepping closer, Will realized that in each painting was a bloody dagger. A piece of thick, black cloth covered the faces of those in the paintings. Positive no one was around, Will replaced his arrow. His hand reached for the cloth. Curiosity and fear burned deep inside of him. His fingers grabbed the cloth and he pulled.

He gasped with horror.

The cloth and his bow fell from his hands.

The left was a painting of his mother and father. The right was a painting of his brother. The bloody knives were stabbed through the hearts of his mother and brother. The thick liquid trickled down the canvases. The faces of his mother and brother were covered with smeared blood. The only one left untouched was Bruce, his father. Will sank to his knees. Tears poured down his cheeks with pain and shock. Who would do this? Why would they do this? What was the purpose? What meaning did this have? Removing his eyes from the paintings, Will saw another sheet of paper on the ground. His fingers gingerly grabbed it. The paper was new, not old. All of this was fresh. This was message for him.

The paper was folded double. On the top said one word: _Question_. Will slowly opened the paper, hands shaking. He was afraid to see the other side. The message was not long. However, it sent a shock up Will's spine. Horror quickly followed it. Grayson found him a few minutes later. Will was still on his knees before the paintings. In his hand was the paper. Yet Will's eyes were not looking at the words. They were glazed with shock, pain, and confusion. Grayson gently shook Will but his young master did not respond. Then he took the paper and read the words written:

 _He plays a good game._

 _Tell me- Has he told you everything? Has he told you the truth..._

 _About his broken promises?_

 _About his plans to make rivers run red?_

 _About how he betrayed them all?_

* * *

 **I** **know you guys will ask: the cloaked figure was Tyler.**

 **Now it's time for Bruce to start talking. Time for him to make a choice: truth or lies? Both have consequences. Some more deadly than others.**

 **Please tell me if you want chapters quicker or longer chapters!**


	12. Chapter 12

**NOTE: I don't own any of the characters from Ranger's Apprentice! I just own Will's family and the country of Quarize.**

 **Things will start moving a little faster. The doctors think that the ligaments in my wrist are damaged. More than likely it will be permanent. However, I intend to keep on writing. It's one of my dreams to publish a book. Just in case plans get hectic, I need to finish as much as possible. Expect a posting by every Saturday. That's my plan.**

 **Just so you guys know, the future of this story is set. The** _ **Blood Series**_ **will continue with the sequel: Dripping Blood. I will tell you no more for fear of ruining the secret ending.**

 **Review and Enjoy!**

* * *

Unknown Blood Chapter 12

It was a beautiful day. The birds were singing there songs to one another. A spring breeze blew past the pasture. The tall grass swayed gently back and forth. Several horses were munching peacefully, enjoying the warm sun. Most of them stayed close together. They were friends or family and liked being close. Only one horse remained separated from the others. He did not get along with the others because he was different. He could outrun all of them in a race. For days he could keep a brisk pace, long after they all dropped dead. However, he came from a different place. He looked and smelled differently. That made him an outcast, different, something to be avoided.

Tug shook his mane as the breeze blew past. Then he nickered softly at his rider. Ever since the cloaked figure had broken into the castle Will had been withdrawn. Bruce was really worried about him. He had placed several guards on his son to keep him safe. He never learned of the letters. Will kept those to himself. Grayson had sworn not to say a word about them without Will's direct permission. The guards were good but Will was trained as a Ranger. He had easily snuck past them and out to the pasture. Here he knew he could find Tug. Only his horse seemed to understand him fully. Will smiled weakly as Tug head-butted him playfully. Then he began stroking the horse's nose. He was not afraid of anything as long as his horse was nearby. Tug would never let any danger come near his master.

Will sighed and picked up a stick, "What am I going to do, Tug? Whoever the figure was meant for me to see those paintings and read those messages. What do they mean? What secrets don't I know?"

" _Maybe your father could tell you. It's obvious that the person was referring to any secrets he was hiding,"_ Tug snorted.

The stick began to twirl in Will's fingers. "I doubt my father would answer. Plus, the figure seemed to think my father was some sort of liar. A traitor."

" _Do you think so?"_

"No! Of course not. He's my father. He would never hide anything major from me." Will paused for a moment then looked up at Tug. "He wouldn't, would he?"

Tug seemed to shrug, _"What are you asking me for? How would I know?"_

Will returned his gaze to the stick, "You wouldn't. Father barely lets me see you anymore. It's like he doesn't want you around me. Like he doesn't want anything from my past in Araluen around me."

That thought made Will sit straight. He had sent several letters to Araluen but had never received replies. Was it possible his father never had them sent? Or maybe he ordered the mailer to lose the letters. Maybe he intercepted responses and refused to give them to Will. If so, why? What could he possibly hope to gain? Why was he keeping Will away from Tug? Then again, why could Will not practice his silent movement, knife, and camouflage skills? Bruce was constantly telling him what a waste of time they were. Will knew that were not. After all, such skills had saved his life several times. Without them, he and Evanlyn would have never made it home from Skandia.

Will's eyes narrowed as he whispered, "What secrets are you hiding, Father?"

"Far too many to count," a soft voice replied.

Instantly Will leaped to his feet, drew an arrow, and turned with it ready to fire. A man leaned lazily against a tree nearby. A long sword could be seen under his black cloak. The hood was up, hiding his face. His right leg was bent, foot pressed against the tree trunk. Tug snorted nervously. In a moment's notice, he would sound an alarm and protect his rider. The man, however, did not seem hostile. Instead he munched on an apple he had picked from a tree.

Slowly Will lowered the bow, "Who are you?"

"A friend," was the flat response.

Will's upper lip curled back in a snarl, "Give me a real answer. Who are you?"

The figure put his foot down. Both gloved hands reached up and removed the hood. Will gasped in shock as he looked at the face. A face he had been memorizing ever since the cloth had been removed from the painting. A black haired, brown eyed face he never thought he would see. The man gave him a small smile. Then he walked forward, hands clasped behind his back. Coming next to Will, he leaned down slightly so they could look eye to eye.

"I'm surprised you know my face. My name is Tyler. You, Will, are my brother," Tyler whispered.

Will stepped backward in shock, "You're supposed to be dead. Father said you died in his arms."

"An easy trick but one that took months of planning and lots of coin," Tyler said, taking another bite of his apple. Then he held out a hand to Tug, who sniffed it. When the horse allowed Tyler to pet him, Tyler continued, "A nice horse you have here. I hear Ranger horses are a breed apart. Shame Bruce won't let you ride him anymore."

That made Will clenched his fists, "I can ride him whenever I like."

"Really?" Tyler drawled, those brown eyes boring into Will's. Will had no choice but to drop his gaze, admitting the truth. Tyler smirked, "Bruce will never let you do anything he doesn't want you to do. Trust me, I know more than you can imagine."

Will cocked his head to the side, "Why did you pretend to die? How did you do it?"

"That's an answer you won't like," his brother replied, giving Tug the rest of the apple.

A growl emanated from Will's throat, "I want the truth. Or are you going to lie about everything."

Tyler's eyes sparked with rage. His right hand seized ahold of Will's shirt. Both of their faces were inches apart before Will knew what had happened. Shock ran through his body. Only Halt had ever shown such speed. Then he looked deep into his brother's eyes. Anger, hate, and sadness glowed like coals of a suppressed flame. Gingerly Tyler released him. Then he let out a shuddering breath.

"I can't be mad at you," he whispered. "You don't know enough. You understand everything that is going on."

Will crossed his arms over his chest, "Tell me then and tell me the truth."

"Very well but not here. You say you can go for a ride so let's ride," Tyler said with a nod.

He turned and vanished into the woods where he came from. Will raced back to the castle, saddled Tug, and set off. No guard stopped him, no guard questioned him. After all, he was the lord's son. That meant he had the power to do whatever he wanted. For all the guards knew, Bruce had given permission for his son to leave. Luckily Bruce and Othon were deep in discussion in Bruce's office and did not see Will leave. Only one did and that one quickly followed.

It was not long before Tug warned his rider of another. It was Tyler, riding a grey stallion. The horse was strong and lean, bred specifically for living in the rocky mountains. Almost instantly the grey horse stepped forward to meet Tug. He wanted to know if Tug could be a new friend. Tug, himself, was taken aback by the horse's friendliness. The two exchange a quick sniff then some soft whinnies. After that, they liked each other enough to call the other a friend. Tyler and Will let the horses be for those few minutes before spurring them onward. Tyler wanted to be as far from the castle as possible before he spoke. One never knew when spies were nearby. He did not want to risk Bruce finding out about him.

Will barely registered the rustling bushes behind them. Both he and Tyler spun their horses around at the same time. Will's bow was ready to fire an arrow within those few moments. Tyler had drawn his sword. Just like that, they were ready for a fight. Will did not know whether to trust his brother or not but he wanted answers. Maybe he could compare Tyler's answers with Bruce's. Then he could decide who to trust. As of right then, he did not know if there was anyone in Quarize that he could trust to tell him a straight answer. He hated mysteries. He hoped to solve this one soon. A threat right now was something he did not want to deal with. Depending on whoever came out of the bushes, Will hoped to end questions quickly.

"Weren't planning on leaving me out, were you?" came the familiar voice of Grayson.

It was at that moment the young servant stepped from the bushes. Will lowered his bow with a breath. Surprisingly even Tyler lowered his weapon. Will's older brother knew Grayson was Will's servant. He had seen how trustworthy the young man was. That made him trust the young man. Also, an extra pair of ears inside the castle could never hurt. Seeing that Will was looking at him, he nodded to indicate that he would allow Grayson to come along. Grayson took Will's offered hand and mounted Tug. With that, the little group headed off to talk.

Once settled in a quite glade, Tyler began to speak:

"I understand if you doubt what I say. However, I need to warn you so that what happened to me never happens to you. Will, we are the only heirs to the throne of Quarize. That throne has been in our family for at least twenty generations. We have guided this country through many hardships and prosperous years. However, those harder years also did something to our family, to our country as a whole. You may have realized that our people are slow to talk and quick to anger. (Will nods quietly) That's what came from countless wars with our neighbors. We became so fearful of others, so distrusting, so ready to fight. Our armies always had to be alert and ready. Our knights had to be the best possible to fight off those who wished to destroy us. Quarize hates all outsiders but the royal family is even worse.

You were lucky to be raised in a different environment. I was not. I thought everyone outside of my father's castle was trying to kill me. I was trained to be merciless with a sword, the very sword you wear at your side. Mother never approved of such teachings. She tried to make me see that others were trustworthy, that I could make friends from them. I often heard mother and father fighting over my training after I was supposed to be asleep. It was tough, trying to decide who to believe. Everyone seemed to love Mother while they feared Father. I couldn't figure out if it was better to be loved or feared.

Then I met a friend while training. He had come from a lower class knight's family. My father said he was just a sparring partner. However, we quickly became friends as we made sword practice into a game. Justin and I were close to one another. Justin, however, feared our father above everything." Tyler shut his eyes in pain. "I tried to stand up for him, tried to help him prove that he could be a great knight. Father was enraged by it, believing I was wasting my time with a worthless peasant. His words. When I was about to be knighted, Father said I had to prove to my family that I could carry on the royal legacy proudly. I was ready to do anything…until I learned what I had to do."

Tyler looked away, tears pricking his eyes. Will felt his heart twist deep inside of him. What was Tyler carrying inside of himself? What did Bruce make him do? Then Tyler looked back at them and continued in a whisper.

"I had to defeat another apprentice in combat. They put me in a hidden ring deep under Father's castle. I figured that it wasn't that hard. Force the other to surrender then it would all be over. The doors opposite me opened and two guards shoved Justin through. Will…Justin was unarmed and without any armor. The only thing they gave him was a shield. I heard Father's voice from above us say:

'Prove yourself by killing your opponent.'

I couldn't believe what they wanted me to do. And to my own friend! I attacked Justin, breaking his shield in half within minutes. Then I stopped. I wouldn't kill him. He was my only friend. That's when my father came behind me. He was angry, angrier than I had ever seen him. He grabbed my sword hand, told me to never hesitate, then shoved my sword through Justin's heart. Before he died, Justin told me that he knew I would never betray him.

Mother was furious with our father. She yelled at him for a good deal of time. That's when I first heard it happen. I raced out of my room to stop it but Father just struck me across the face. He told me that we had to be ruthless and unforgiving. Any weakness meant that Quarize and our family's rule would be over. There was nothing I could do to stop him from hurting Mother. It was that day I knew what having power here meant. That night I began to dream of escape.

Two days later we heard the eastern border had been attacked.

A day later, Mother admitted she was pregnant with another child.

Will, I was so happy to know I was going to have a baby sibling. I hope it would be a boy so I could play and practice with you. Father was happy too. He always wanted another child. However, he had to deal with the war before he could focus on his family. Country before family. It was then I saw a way out, for me and Mother. A way to protect you. Maybe then some sense would be knocked into Father's head.

I planned everything so carefully. I bribed the right people on the enemy lines. Mother and I planned the escape route. There was even an herbalist who could make a drug that would cause me to 'die'. That way Father would never know the difference. Then the battles began. With my information the enemy quickly surged towards the back lines. I raced to help some men fight off the enemy. Took a crossbolt with that drug on it. Then pretended to get stabbed in the back. Father thought I was gone. Then the enemy dragged away my body so that I wouldn't be buried alive. Once I awoke, I took an armed force to this castle. Mother and I escaped, finally free. She told me that she would head to Araluen, where her brother lived. I chose to stay here, to help others slowly erode the royal family's control."

Tyler looked into Will's eyes, his hate burning like a wildfire.

"Yes, brother, I _hate_ Father. Not for what he did to me but for what he did to Mother. Haven't you wondered why Araluen hasn't responded to your letters? Father has been intercepting them and having them destroyed. They have never left that castle. The same was for Mother. She received word that her father was sick and wanted to go to him. Father and King Othon quickly made some excuse to keep her locked up. When she tried to forcefully leave, Father beat her for it. It was as if she was a slave. A priced animal he didn't want stolen. Daniel, our uncle, came down here once, asking if we would go to his wedding. I thought Bruce was going to kill or drive him out like a thief. Mother and I never had any true freedom. Face it, you don't have any freedom either.

I hate Father because he betrayed us in every way."

Will sat in silence for a few minutes. He had to digest everything. So much of what Tyler was saying made sense. Bruce did control every aspect of Will's life. He tried to drive away anyone close to Will, especially when they were in Araluen. But Bruce had many good points as well. Were they all lies? If so, who was the liar? Bruce or Tyler? Will's thumping heart told him that Bruce was the liar. Why else would Tyler still be alive? Then another thought struck him. Tyler had to go through a "cleansing initiation" to become a knight. Maybe Bruce would want Will to do the same thing. If so, what would he ask of Will?

"I know where your mind is going, brother," Tyler whispered. "Father does have an initiation planned for you, one that will put mine to shame."

Will looked at him. Grayson's eyes darted back and forth between the family members. Finally Will managed to ask, "What's his plan?"

Tyler leaned forward and growled:

"Listen when he thinks you're asleep. That way you can be sure that I tell the truth. He plans to make the rivers run red with blood.

Araluen's blood."

* * *

 **I may or may not have the next chapter up before next Saturday. Depends on schoolwork. Turns out I have a lot more than first expected.**


	13. Chapter 13

**NOTE: I don't own any of the characters from Ranger's Apprentice! I just own Will's family and the country of Quarize.**

 **Don't know if it will stay this way but I'm thinking of making this a four part story. What do you guys think? Please post either in the comments or feel free to private message me with suggestions. However,** _ **Dripping Blood**_ **is the only set in stone piece of this series.**

 **Please let me know what you think!**

 **AlexaMarrinDaughterofPoseidon: I really appreciate someone carrying for me. To be honest, my wrist has me stressed out very bad. I feel ready to snap at any moment. Writing these fanfictions for you guys is helping me relax. Without it, I doubt I would last for more than a week before snapping. Thanks for caring! I really need it.**

 **Review and Enjoy!**

* * *

Unknown Blood Chapter 13

Tyler's words haunted Will. Every time Will saw his father, he heard Tyler telling him about what Bruce did to their mother. Seeing the hunters bringing back food, seeing the dripping blood, made Will's heart beat faster. He could not sleep without seeing images of his father and uncle standing over the bodies of his friends. It was torture for Will.

What if Tyler was lying? What if he was the one planning to threaten Araluen? Was that even Tyler? Will could not be sure. He had never met his brother. Also, so many of his words fit with Will's observations of their father. Was it all lie? By either of them? Who could Will trust now that they both were there? If what Tyler said was true then how could he warn Araluen? His father did not use messenger birds. Called them too unreliable. Mail? No. Bruce already had that one shut off. Something was happening to his mail to Araluen and their mail to him. Was it because of Bruce? If so, why?

Will did not know who to trust…

Did not know what to do.

Grayson remained at his side throughout it all. Not once did he let out a peep about what was going on. Not once did he question his master. Will was a smart lad. Grayson knew he would figure out what to do. In the meantime, Grayson kept his ears to the ground. Maybe he could learn something of value. Maybe he could do something worthwhile for once. No matter what, Grayson would help Will out. He liked his master. If he could do anything to help then he would. He was, after all, an extremely loyal soul. His master needed him and so by his master's side he would stay.

To be honest, Grayson did not know what to think. Will's brother, alive! Not only that but carrying huge news. Now Grayson watched as Will struggled to find answers, within and without. Maybe it was all an elaborate trap. Maybe someone was out to hurt the only heir to the throne by using a brother look-alike. There were no whispers about Tyler possibly being alive. Bruce never seemed to suspect it. King Othon never seemed to care. The only thing Grayson knew for certain was that all of this was tearing his young master apart. He just hoped that Tyler was a lie, a fraud, dead wrong. Then everything could go back to normal. His master happy and safe.

That's why he almost did not wake his master one night.

"Will, wake up," he hissed in a whisper, shaking Will. When Will groaned, he shook harder and hissed a little louder, "Master!"

Slowly Will's eyes opened. Seeing Grayson, Will snapped wide awake, "Grayson, what's wrong?"

"Follow quietly," Grayson whispered.

Quickly he led his master out of the apartment and down the hall. Reaching the King's apartments, he stopped. Will whipped around him and pressed his right ear to the door. Voice could be faintly heard. Gingering Will pulled down the door latch and opened the door. The voices were now much clearer. Bruce and Othon, along with three others that Will did not recognize. Grayson, however, did. In Will's ear, he quickly informed his master that they were the leading generals of the army. That made Will's blood freeze inside his veins. Shallowing, Will returned his attention back to the conversation. Grayson remained on watch.

"Are we ready?" Bruce was asking, his voice cracking with irritation.

"Almost, my lords," came a meek voice of the heavy artillery general. "The machine parts are almost completely loaded on the boats. The problem is hiding them below deck."

Othon's voice snapped at that moment, "We are going to war and all you can say is that you are having a hard time getting the materials below deck! By the kings before! The longer we wait, the longer we delay, the more likely that he will find out. We can't have that happen."

"Understandable, sire," the cavalry general said. "The boy probably won't appreciate being the center of an all-out war. Not when his friends and family are on opposite sides."

Will sucked in a breath. His heart began to beat faster and faster. So it was true. His father and his uncle were planning to attack Araluen! They were planning to attack his friends who had taken care of him since his mother died. Tears welled in his eyes. It was not fair. Araluen did not deserve their wrath. They were just trying to protect him, care for him! It was not right.

"Mark my words, generals," Bruce's voice snapped. His fist connected with a table. Will dared to open just a little farther in order to see his father. The man's brown eyes were flashing and his black hair seemed to stand on end. His entire body quivered with rage. "I don't want to delay. I don't want to have to explain everything before we do it. He won't understand. We need to be ready as soon as possible. I want Araluen to pay for taking away my wife and son. I want their king to drown in the blood of his people. I want his friends, most importantly his teacher, to die by my hand! It's what they deserve!"

As he growled those last words, Will pulled the door silently shut. Grayson could see the pain within those lively brown eyes. So much for everything going back to normal. He grabbed Will's arm and hauled his towards his apartment. Then escorted Will back to his room and bed. Once there, Will collapsed to the ground, tears pouring down his cheeks. He could not believe that his father was planning to attack Araluen. He could not understand why. All Araluen had ever done was take care of him. Halt and Daniel had done all they could for his mother. Who knows what would have happened without them. It was wrong to blame Araluen for everything. It was so wrong. Tyler's actions had led to this but they would never believe him. They all thought Tyler was dead and gone.

"I'm so sorry, master," Grayson said, laying a hand on his master's shoulder.

Will looked up at him and smiled faintly, "Not your fault. I needed to know the truth."

"What are you going to do now?" Grayson asked. Deep inside, he swore on his own life that he would help Will with whatever plans his master had. It was his duty.

A hard look came into Will's eyes, "I need to warn Araluen. That means I have to escape."

* * *

Will marched down the hall with purpose. Grayson had been secretly moving his weapons to Tug's stall in the stables. By the time Will got down there, Tug would be ready to go. Hopefully Will would not run into his father. A confrontation now would ruin all his plans. Araluen needed him. Everyone's life depended on his escape today. No matter what, Will would not let Araluen suffer would a crime they did not commit. It was not right. Will's eyes closed for a brief second. Even if it meant standing against his own father.

Reaching the courtyard, Will stayed to the shadows. His Ranger cloak was also with Tug. Once safely in the woods would he put it on. For now, he had to trust daily routines to keep himself hidden. The knights were on the far side, busy practicing with weapons. They knew they would be needing them soon. The servants bustled around. None of them even registered his existence, even one he almost ran into. Guards patrolled the castle walls. However, their purpose was to keep people out, not in. That was what Will had been hoping for. Silently he opened the stable door and vanished within.

Grayson, seeing his master enter, guided Tug out of his stall. The horse was well-groomed and well-fed. A good thing at least, Will thought grimly. Sensing something was amiss, Tug silently tossed his head. He was willing to obey the slightest command given. Grayson handed Will the reins. He then did a quick check of the saddle, weapons, and food supply. All had been carefully prepared. All was carefully hidden. As far as anyone was concerned, Will was simple going for a small ride. His weapons were there just in case anything happened to him. With Tug ready, Will led him outside.

If only things could have gone as planned.

"Stop!" barked Render.

Will felt his heart leap into his chest but kept walking. Render did not call his name. Maybe he was talking to a servant. Maybe he was talking to Grayson. That's what Will's mind said. His gut instinct told him that Render meant him. Bruce might have been getting suspicious. That would mean he would place Render on constant watch of the boy. That meant Will could not escape.

"I mean you, my lord," Render sneered as he stepped in Will's way.

" _We need another plan,"_ Tug snorted as he stopped.

" _Tell me when you have one,"_ Will hissed softly back.

"Where do you think you're going?" Render asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

Will met the man's eye and said calmly, "Out for a brief ride. I should be back before lunch. Is there a problem?"

"Yes," Render growled. Slowly he bent his waist until his face was centimeters from Will's. "I have orders from your father. They think some enemy spies have gotten close to this castle, knowing that the royal family is here. My job is to make sure you don't leave."

" _I have a plan,"_ Tug let out a rumble.

Out of the corner of his eye, Will spotted Grayson. His servant and friend was indicating a path along the wall. Going up and over would put Will next to the bridge across the ravine. From there he could run on foot. But that meant leaving Tug behind and him making the journey on foot. He smiled warmly at Render as Tug butted his shoulder. If that's how it had to be. Araluen had to be warned.

His voice came out as a soft whisper, "Sorry, Render. Change of plans."

With that he dropped Tug's reins. The little horse reared, front hooves catching Render on the nose. He jerked back, hands reaching to stop the blood. Will darted past him, vanishing into the shadows. Several servants raced to calm Tug. Grayson was one of them. Casually, his movements hidden in the fray, he grabbed the materials Will needed for his journey. Once everything had been taken but the weapons, he vanished into the stable. It was not wise to alert everyone that Will had help.

Tug's distraction worked. As he shook off more servants, it became clear stronger hands were needed. The guards and knights leaped from their positions. That left the hole Will needed. Movements quick and smooth, Will raced up steps. A rope left by Grayson wrapped around a spear imbedded in the rock in case of emergencies. Then Will dropped over the edge. Landing on the small area of rock, Will struggled not to look down. Easily he leaped onto the bridge and raced towards the trees.

"Stop him!" Render's gargled voice bellowed.

Too bad Tug's distraction had worked wonders. No one understood what Render had meant. Will vanished into the trees right as some guards looked in that direction. To them, nothing was amiss. Only one truly saw what Render had meant. Bruce's fist struck the stone side of the window. So much were having it easy. Now he had to find his son.

That's when his eyes spotted Grayson leaving the stables.

Those brown eyes narrowed.

He should have known.

* * *

 **You all know how the escape ends. Next chapter may or may not be up by Saturday. Mostly likely on Saturday if I'm lucky. Don't worry, it will be up soon!**


	14. Chapter 14

**NOTE: I don't own any of the characters from Ranger's Apprentice! I just own Will's family and the country of Quarize.**

 **Sorry this took so long but I had to get school work done. I don't know when the next chapter after this will be up.**

 **I broke this chapter up like I did because I thought it flowed better than the first way I tried it. Hope you like it. Sorry if you don't.**

 **Pennydragon: You asked for a viewpoint from Halt. It was such a coincidence that it made me laugh. This chapter involves everyone in Araluen. It also involves someone else…**

 **Review and Enjoy!**

* * *

Unknown Blood Chapter 14

Halt sighed as he listened to the thief shouting behind him. It had taken a whole month to track this man down and bring him in. He had almost decided to call in Gilan for help. Now the guards were escorting the man, who had a boatload of evidence against him, to a cell while he shouted about how innocent he was. Made Halt furious. Rubbing his tired eyes, Halt headed up towards Arald's office. One last thing to do before he could be done. Then he could home and collapse in bed.

There was not much that Halt had missed while chasing the thief. Just a small fire that erupted near the cavern. With the village chipping in, nothing had been destroyed. Everything else was going well. Nothing else that Halt needed to deal with. That made him happy. Meant he could sleep for several good hours before dinner. On his way down to Abelard, Halt came across young Alyss. The tall, willowy girl smiled and said hello. Her voice, however, told Halt that she was far away. Pauline had confided in Halt that she was worried about the young woman. Of course she missed Will but this was something else. Since Will never seemed to communicate with them, Alyss had been growing restless. Now she seemed to shut herself off. Halt quickly stopped her by placing a hand on her shoulder.

"I'm sure he's alright," Halt whispered to her.

Alyss looked at him closely, seeming to pry deep into his thoughts and see that Halt was putting on a brave face for her. "I'm sure," she whispered back before continuing on with her duties.

Truth be told, Halt was really frightened for his former apprentice. Will was not the type to just ignore his friends. Something else had to be happening. There was something blocking communication. Halt's eyes narrowed as he mounted Abelard. Maybe it was not _something_ but rather _someone_. It would make sense. Bruce had never liked any of them. But to go this far! Halt could not believe it, did not want to believe it. Maybe bandits or weather had destroyed the letters. That was always possible. It was just that Halt did not believe it that many coincidences. It was just too perfect. No, something more sinister was going on.

He just wished he was not always right…

* * *

A guard slumped to the ground after hitting his head on the stone wall. Will growled as another tried to grab ahold of him. Using the other two for support, he lifted up his feet. One foot slammed into the man's stomach. The other met the man's nose. There was a sickening _snap_ followed by scarlet blood. Then Will continued, throwing his feet above and beyond his head. One man, fearing that he would hurt the young lord, loosened his grip. Will twisted his arm free, punched the other man still holding him, then made two quick jabs at the man who had released him.

Bruce and Othon, heading up the stairs, leaped apart as the guard came rolling down. Cursing angrily, Bruce bounded up two steps at a time. His king and brother was right on his heels. They found Will struggling against Render. The huge man was holding Will in a crushing bear hug. That's when Will thrust back his head, slamming it into Render's wounded jaw. Growling in pain, Render was forced to drop the young man. Instantly Will rolled away from him, out of reach. Coming to his feet, Will felt something hard hit the back of his head. Then firm hands stopped him from hitting the floor.

Muttering under his breath, Bruce dragged his son into an old cell. It had not been used in years. Not since the last time this had happened. Not since someone else had turned. The chains were new, replaced every time rust began to grow on the iron. Now they were locked around Will's wrists and ankles. A thick leather strip was wrapped around his waist. There was no escaping this. They had hired some of the best escape artists from around the world to try. All had failed. Certain everything was in working order, Bruce and Othon left. There was still work that had to be done. They would return when Will was awake and aware.

* * *

Abelard sensed the intruder before the cabin was even in sight. Approaching on foot, Halt saw a grey stallion munching on grass. It was a sturdy animal, built for traversing rocky mountains. Yet the breed was familiar but not of any country Halt had ever visited. Then the memory struck. Bruce's horses looked very similar. The only difference was that they were majestic and powerful, much like Araluen's battlehorses.

Heart in his throat, Halt approached his own cabin slowly. He figured whoever was here had brought a message. No killer would be so stupid as to leave his horse in plain sight. Inside was the newcomer. He was sitting in one of the chairs, playing with the bronze oakleaf that had once been Will's. Halt and Crowley could not pluck up the courage to get rid of it. Now it was in the hands of this unknown person. Seeing Halt enter, the figure rose from the chair. Halt estimated him to be of medium height. He was dressed in a black cloak and hood, gray shirt, and brown pants. Black, leather boots gleamed in the sunlight from the windows. As he pushed back the hood, Halt could not hide his surprise. Brown eyes and black hair. Almost an identical copy of Bruce! Then Halt noticed this man was younger and had more Araluen lines to his body. Similar but very different. There was no question they were related.

A soft voice came from his lips, "Greetings, Ranger Halt. My name is Tyler. As you can see, I'm the son of Bruce and Will's older brother."

"Bruce never mentioned having another son," Halt growled.

Tyler nodded, a fire burning deep in his eyes. It was fire that unsettled Halt's stomach, "That's because he thinks I'm dead. I would like to keep it that way. However, I can't ignore what is going to happen." He took a step forward, holding his hands out wide to show he was unarmed. "Please, Halt, for the sake of my brother, listen to me."

"What's happened to Will?" Halt asked, heart leaping into his throat.

Tyler's eyes gleamed with pain, "He tried to escape in order to warn you but failed. Bruce has him locked away where I can't free him. His army is ready for blood. His eyes are set on these shores. In a month's time, Quarize will attack Araluen."

* * *

Will glared at his father as he entered the cell. He had trusted this man. He had loved this man. Now he was treating Will like a bad dog. Bruce's brown eyes gleamed with a hard light. He was not happy with the situation either, albeit for different reasons. He could not understand why his son loved them as much as he did. It angered Bruce that Will chose them over his own family. Now, seeing his son's glare, that anger boiled over. His right hand landed a powerful slap on his son's left cheek.

"I hope you're happy," Will hissed through clenched teeth.

Bruce knelt before him, holding his son's face in one hand, "You'll understand, given time. In this world, you won't survive otherwise."

"You had my love, my loyalty, my heart," Will snapped. "Why wasn't that good enough? Because of you, rivers will run red with blood that doesn't need to be split!"

Those brown eyes hardened to an alarming degree, "Us or them. It's that simple. Your heart must be pure, Will. Love only your blood. Hate everyone else. That's the only way to survive."

"Is it?" Will whispered, making his father strain to hear his words, "I seemed to survive just fine my way, the way Araluen taught me."

Bruce shook his head slowly, "Araluen is weak. They taught you wrong. We must be stronger than everyone else if we are to survive. We must be willing to sacrifice everything for our own. Without our family, Quarize would have been swept away by our enemies, both within and without. Nothing but family matters."

"Life without friends is a lonely life," Will snapped angrily.

With a sigh, Bruce rose, "I'm sorry you feel that way. I was willing to let it go but you have left me no choice. Starting today, we will purge you everything that will make you weak."

His fist pounded against the wooden door.

* * *

"This is serious," Duncan said, pacing back and forth.

Baron Arald, Sir Rodney, and Sir David exchanged worried looks. Cassandra laid a comforting hand on Alyss' shoulder as the young Courier began to cry, tears in her own. Sir Horace and Gilan looked down at their feet, faces downcast. Crowley played with his cloak, mind racing. Halt alone was inscrutable. He was like a silent, dark statue in the middle of them all. Tyler sat in a chair, legs folded neatly under him. Those burning brown eyes kept jumping from one person to another. He had never met any of these people before. He was curious to see how they would all react. So far he was not impressed.

Reminding himself why he was here, Tyler returned to the conversation that had started.

"Crowley," Duncan said firmly, "Send out a Ranger or two to confirm what Tyler has shown us. Their numbers may have changed or their plans. We need to know for certain." Turning to Arald, Rodney, David, and Horace, he continued, "Send word to every fief. We need to prepare for war. With numbers stacked against us, we will need every knight, every archer, all men-at-arms, and all our cavalry in order to even stand a chance. Use the Ranger and Courier message systems. Better that way." Then he turned to Halt and Gilan, "I want the two of you to go and find this army. Infiltrate it if you can. Find Will. I'm certain he has nothing to do with this attack. However, if he had tried to escape to warn us then he may need help. He knows and trusts both of you."

"Of course," Halt and Gilan replied.

Tyler noticed the determination glowing within each person. A small smile touched his lips. He did not need their skill. He did not need their knowledge. He did not need their weapons or horses or men. What he needed was that very determination they now showed. By the time Bruce and Othon arrived on these shores, Araluen would be ready. As he followed the men out of the castle, he allowed himself a soft chuckle.

"Rivers will run red indeed," he whispered to himself as each group split off to do their duties. "I hope you are ready, brother. The choice will be yours to make."

* * *

Grayson was thrown to the ground. His hands and ankles were bound tightly with thick rope. Rising to his knees, he coughed up blood. Tears pricked the corners of Will's eyes. His servant, his friend, had been tortured badly. One eye was black and swollen shut. His nose had been broken by a large fist, probably Render's. His lips were cut and bleeding in several different places. Countless whiplashes could be seen on his back, arms, and legs. Those warm eyes were dull with pain. His entire body quivered weakly from loss of blood but he held himself tall. Seeing this, Bruce struck him hard on the side of the face.

"No!" Will cried as Grayson hit the stone floor.

Chains rattled loudly as Will tried to go forward. His brown eyes were locked on Grayson's battered face. Slowly Grayson's good eye, the left, opened. That blue eye seemed to spark with life as he looked upon his master. A weak smile reopened the cuts on his lips. The servant coughed up more blood. Bruce circled him, watching with narrowed eyes.

Finally Bruce spoke, his voice eerily distant and soft, "Anything other than family is a weakness. Friends don't matter. Loved ones don't matter. Enemies must drown in their own blood. That is the only way to stay alive."

"So you keep saying," Will hissed, his eyes still locked on Grayson. Then they glared up at Bruce, "All I see coming out of such loyalty is pain and death."

Bruce sighed weakly, "This cell holds a lot of memories for me. I've used it several times. Only two were distinctly memorable, though. Do you know who they were? Of course not. You weren't even born then."  
"I've heard whispers," Will said, cutting his father off. "I never believed them. I never listened. I guess I should have." A snarl appeared on his face, his voice dropping to low growl, "Believe me, that's a mistake I won't make again. I may not know for certain but I can guess. Mother and my brother."

A small smile touched Bruce's face, "Correct on both. I fell in love with your mother on a mission in Celtica, where she had moved with her parents. Her older brother, Daniel, had stayed behind on the farm. We had a wonderful time together. I thought she was perfect. I brought her here to show her my home. She was happy, willing to marry me. That was until Daniel told her about their father." Bruce's fists clenched and his teeth gritted. "I knew someone would try to kill her. She wouldn't listen so I had to lock her up here. I had to teach her that nothing mattered beyond our bloodline. She learned, just as Tyler did years later. Now it's your turn to learn. So make your choice:

Family or Friend."

Will felt his stomach twist. This was not the man he loved. This was not the father he cared for, was loyal to, and loved above all. Standing before him, standing over Grayson, was a monster. Yet for all his anger, Will could not hate him. There was a good side to Bruce. There was something more human inside of him. Will just needed to dig it out. Those tears began to fall down Will's cheeks. Could he save his father?

"Father…" he coughed. "Father, please…don't make me choose. Don't make me decide one life over another."

A slight frown touched Bruce's lips, "Your mother begged me with those same words when I challenged her over Daniel's life. I let him go. My mistake."

"NO!" Will screamed.

It was in vain. The sword pierced Grayson's stomach. A ringing sound echoed through the cell as it struck stone on the other side. Grayson coughed, blood splattering onto Will's knee. That one blue eye looked at Will with an expression of sorrow. Will watched as his friend's body convulsed. Blood seeped from the wound, drenching the floor. That last bit of light slowly faded from Grayson's eye. Then he was still, gone, dead.

That's when Will learned to hate.

* * *

 **(Sniffle) I made myself cry. Can anyone guess what Tyler is up to?**

 **I'll be going on a vacation this weekend and won't have easy access to the Internet. The rest of the week will be dedicated to schoolwork. I promise to post a chapter when I get back!**


	15. Chapter 15

**NOTE: I don't own any of the characters from Ranger's Apprentice! I just own Will's family and the country of Quarize.**

 **2** **nd** **NOTE: I have a week full of tests, quizzes, and doctor appointments. The next chapter won't be up until LATE Sunday through Tuesday of NEXT week. Making that very clear so I don't get too many questions.**

 **3** **rd** **NOTE: Look down below (after chapter end) for a little something I came up with over my vacation. Decided you all might like another little peek into my book.**

 **Review and Enjoy!**

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Unknown Blood Chapter 15

It was the shouting that woke Will up. He blinked rapidly, trying to adjust to dim light. High above him was a thin window. Craning his neck, Will listened. No words were discernable but he detected an air of excitement and urgency. His stomach twisted deep inside. Today was the day. The war against Araluen has begun.

Lowering his head back down, Will waited for someone to fetch him. Bruce and Othon made it clear that they needed him along. He knew their roads better than anyone else. Whether Will willingly helped or not, they would destroy everything. No man, woman, or child would be spared if found. All the fields would burn. The livestock would be slaughtered for their men's amusement. Tears pricked Will's eyes as he remembered their final words on the subject.

" _Your friends will be spared long enough for the war to end. Once done, they will die right in front of you. Then we'll hang their bodies for the crows and beasts to feed upon. That way we purge you completely."_

Will's eyes turned away from the door. There, not three feet away, was a dark stain on the smooth floor. The memory rushed back into Will's mind. He could still see that one blue eyes looking at him with sorrow. Will remembered every convulsion. All the bruises and injuries were branded into his memory. The worst part of all was that sorrowful smile. Grayson was dying a horrible death but all he could think about was that he had failed his master. The tears fell.

So much for a happy family.

So much for his dream of a loving father.

The lock turned with a loud click. Those brown eyes darted to the door. A snarl curled up Will's face as Bruce stepped in with a plate of food. All of Will's favorites. It was if Bruce truly cared about the son he locked away. Bruce seemed cheery. After all, his plans were proceeding as planned, for the most part. Even the dark look Will was giving him did not seem to faze him. He gave his son a warm smile, as if encouraging his son to lighten up. Carefully he knelt down before Will.

"I brought you your favorites. With our travels coming up, you won't be able to eat some of these. Too hard to cook on the road," Bruce said, the laughter in his voice.

Truth be told, the aroma was making Will hungry. Then Will saw the dark stain once more. Like a hot knife, the memory drove into his heart once again. His eyes did not move from his father. Suddenly he lurched forward, his knee coming up, and knocked the plate from his father's hand. Bruce's smile faded a bit. It vanished completely as Will spat in his face.

Will bared his teeth at Bruce, "Go to hell, murderer."

"I see we haven't accepted fate and order as of yet," Bruce sighed, wiping the spit from his cheek. "Well, that was breakfast for you. Guess you aren't hungry."

He rose and snapped his fingers. A "servant" came in and cleaned up the food. Another came in with new chains. Bruce took out a key and unlocked the bonds holding his son to the wall. Then proceeded to attach the new ones. Once done, Will's wrists were bound side-by-side behind his back with a long chain going up to his throat. Any movement to unlock the chains would result in either injury to his shoulders and arms or choking. Render and five other massive men were waiting at the top of the stairs. As they came from tower, "servants" separated to let them pass. It was then Will began to notice something…

Hope.

As they went to their knees, the "servants" looked upward at him. Hope shined in their eyes. Bruce and Othon were crushing the freedom from them. When Tyler tried to rebel, he was quickly subdued. Now they saw an heir who was not going to back down lightly. Should Will take the throne, they knew he would stand behind them. He had already leaped to their defense times before. Small things, yes, but he still cared about them. They were equals in his eyes. Like Grayson before them, each "servant" he passed was going to aid him. He was far from alone.

* * *

Halt and Gilan spurred their horses along the river. Tyler had said this river led to the large harbor of Thornguard. From there they would sail for Araluen. Quarize, according to Tyler, had learned years ago that they needed to be ready for any attack. Such understanding had led them to learn and master all crafts they could get their hands on. They learned cavalry attacks from the Temujai. Skandian sea wolves taught them to sail. To the deserts they went to learn the value of bribery and unit fighting. Celtica taught them how to destroy another country's infrastructure without ever lifting a blade. From an unknown land beyond the deserts they learned how to forge weapons as strong as the Ranger saxe. That is why Quarize had survived for so long when surrounded by nations determined to destroy them. Now these men were turning their sights on Araluen. Tyler said that Quarize would leave nothing in its wake. The reason: Will had to be purged completely. If even a speck of Araluen remained then he could turn against his family.

" _I won't let them, Will."_ Halt thought determinately. _"They won't destroy Araluen. They won't make you become something you're not."_

It was three days in when they heard the trumpets. Quickly they dove for the bushes. Scout ships sailed by. The trumpets were message signals being sent back to the main camp. On foot the two men raced through the trees. So close to finding Will. They had to hurry before they were spotted and their mission a failure. Reaching a rise, they slowed and carefully looked over. There, spread out in ordered rows, was an army bred for destruction. Knights practiced with each other. Men-at-arms tried to comfort each other. Out of everyone in the camp, the men-at-arms were more likely to die. Their king and lords cared little for their lives. Halt nudged Gilan, pointing to a large pavilion directly in the center. The king's quarters. Tyler had informed them that Bruce and Will (and himself) were from royal blood. Halt figured if they were going to keep Will anywhere then it would be where no one could reach him. Thus, they would place him beside the one man no one could possibly touch, not with all those guards and knights around.

Halt leaned close to Gilan's ear and whispered, "Leave your cloak here. It's a dead give-away that we aren't apart of this army. Go around the north side, near the river, and make your way to the command tent. I'll go from the south side."

"Of course. Be careful, Halt. Will would not want you risking your life for him," Gilan replied softly.

Halt had to smile at that, "Indeed. The same goes for you."

With nods, the two split apart and went in their different directions. Halt's area was far hillier than Gilan's, taking him higher up. He wanted that. From such a vantage point, Halt could estimate numbers, ranks, and risks all at the same time. Kneeling among some bushes, he took out a pen and paper. Quickly and accurately he began to draw what he saw. Then his pen stopped moving. His heart began to beat rapidly. He could see Gilan starting to walk towards the camp. He was still well in the trees so no one from camp could see him. That was not what scared Halt. It was the small group behind Gilan. Even from this distance, Halt could clearly make out a recurve bow and glinting tip of an arrowhead.

* * *

Bruce tightened his grip on Will's shoulders. Will bit his lip, not wanting to do it. His hand trembled as it held his bow. The razor sharp tip slowly followed its target. The tall man had been wearing a Ranger cloak. Will knew only one man who embodied both attributes: Gilan. He was here. Most likely he was coming up to see why Will had not been communicating. Finding the army, he was investigating to try and understand. Unknown to his friends, the water scouts were being led by men on the shores. However, they had only spotted one man at the time, reporting it back. No one knew of the second Ranger that was nearby. As Halt raced towards them, Will closed his eyes and bit his lip…

Then lowered the bow.

With a shuddering breath, he hissed, "I won't kill a friend."

"He is not your friend. Araluen is not your friend. It is only your family that matters," King Othon spat angrily.

Will glared at him, "Araluen raised me. They are as much my family as you are."

"Then how's this," Bruce began, his voice cold, "Either you kill your friend or we will capture him and torture him to death. You think what we did to Grayson was wrong? Well, I promise to do much worse to him."

Will's heart broke like glass hitting rock. Those brown eyes turned back to Gilan. The Ranger had stopped, watching the camp proceedings from a safe distance. Then Will spotted something else. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted movement. It was not easy to pick up. Another Ranger was here. Then Will felt a smile touch the corners of his mouth. It was most likely Halt. No matter what happened, Halt would be there to help Gilan.

The arrow came back up. Will focused on Gilan's form. _"Please don't move Gilan,"_ he begged silently. Then the arrow was away. The twang echoed through the small canyon that they were in. Gilan began to turn…

The arrow lodged itself in his back…

He crumpled to the ground and did not move.

" _No!"_ Will's mind screamed. Gilan was supposed to get shot and run. But he did not move. Tears appeared in Will's eyes. The bow dropped to ground. He had killed. He had killed another Ranger. He killed Gilan! Will felt his father's hands clapped him on the shoulders. His praise came to Will's ears from a long way off. Will could not move. All he could do was stare at his friend's body. The chains were clapped back on him. With that, he led away, back to the ship where was held prisoner.

" _Halt…I'm so sorry. I didn't want it to happen…I'm sorry…"_

* * *

 **I'll leave you with that. See you all in a little bit. Please keep me in your thoughts/prayers.**

 **As promised, another little look into my book. Will and Halt somehow (I'll leave that up to you) end up in Sadhare. Things don't quite go as planned. This is like any other fanfiction. Hope you all enjoy!**

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Tug and Abelard raced through the trees as fast as they could. Both riders were leaning over necks, cloaks billowing. Shouts were ringing through the trees behind them. Armored men astride powerful, long-legged horses appeared behind them. Halt cursed angrily. It seemed that the Ranger horses were standing still compared to these new horses. He could swear that it would be much horse if these new horses ran without armor. It was a marvelous feat: breeding such fast and powerful animals. Old Bob and his family would quit the business if they knew that someone had outmatched them.

But now the scenario brought little comfort to either Ranger.

Thunder rolled above them but no rain fell. Lightning sparked almost constantly, dancing through the sky like white, flaming snakes. The tall, thick trees watched the chase in darkness. Besides the rolling thunder, the cracking lightning, and the drumming hooves, everything was quiet. Will knew it would be peaceful here. Now, however, his heart was in his throat and his breathing was shallow. His nerves were stretched thin in fear. He had also noticed how Tug seemed unable to lose their pursuers. These horses were putting the Arridian stallions to shame. He glanced over at his mentor, praying that Halt had a plan. The grim look on Halt's face was enough to dispel any hope Will had.

Another flash of lightning crackled in front of them. A dark tree was almost instantly engulfed in flames. Tug and Abelard braced themselves to stop. With a resounding _THUD_ , the massive oak fell to the ground. To their right was a steep hill. To the left was the flat forest but the trees grew too thickly for them to gallop through. Spinning their horses on their back hooves, Halt and Will prepared to fight. The soldiers had slowed their steeds. Long, razor sharp spears lowered. These men fought best in the saddle. Their armor was designed to repel arrows, even from the powerful longbow. Of course, no armor is perfect but these foreigners did not know the weak points. It would be an easy fight.

Together, as they were trained, the men clapped their heels into their horses' sides. Instantly the animals broke into a gallop. Tug and Abelard reared, hoping to protect their masters from the spears. Will turned Tug, his longbow singing along with Halt's. The arrows hit, dented, then bounced off the armor. Still those spears came at them. Soon all the arrows were gone. That's when the men pulled up their spears and drew swords. Halt did not think. He spurred Abelard between Will and the men. His longbow arced outward, forcing the men to duck. Now the new horses balked, too close to the rising flames. Will and Halt's bows forced several to retreat. The odds, however, were stacked against them. One of the soldiers grabbed a rock and threw hard. It struck Halt squarely on the back of the head.

"HALT!" Will screamed as his former mentor fell to the dirt and leaves.

Snickering to themselves, the men closed in on Will and the two horses. Abelard, unable to get to his master, pressed close to Will. The young man was trustworthy. Surely he could save Halt. Will would have laughed at that thought. He doubted he could save himself, let alone the both of them. The burning tree was far too close for comfort. Tug and Abelard were dancing awkwardly. Their tails were dangerously close to catching on fire. Will thought hard, eyes darting around with lightning speed, but he saw no way of escape…

Until he heard the drumming of hooves…

And saw the men look beyond the burning tree…

From the flames came three arrows. They were razor sharp, the tips small, and shot with precise accuracy known only by the best of the best in the Ranger Corps. Men screamed as these arrows found the intended holes, lodging into skin and bone. Will saw the men pale with horror…and absolute _terror_. He turned back to tree just in time. Leaping over the tree, through the flames as if they were not there, was a red-chestnut horse. Metal from chest and shoulder plates gleamed ominously in the firelight. Chainmail and leather gloves covered the arms. As the horse landed, Will heard the slithering hiss of steel being drawn. A long blade, longer than any sword Will had ever seen, flashed in the rider's right hand. Will could easily see the image of a snarling wolf carved into the top of the blade, right below the hilt. The image was not small and it made Will's stomach twist with fear.

The new person galloped past. The soldiers simply turned and fled. They had no interest in fighting this person. They knew all too well the skill gap between them. Will felt hope flash in his chest. It vanished the moment he noticed Halt, bound hand and foot, slung over the back of horse. He spurred Tug into a gallop, racing after the man who had his mentor. Abelard galloped right behind them. The man looked back, smirked, then paled. The chestnut horse shot past Tug, gaining on them. Metal sang as their blades crossed. Will reached for his mentor, hoping to at least knock him off. It was then the man wheeled his horse away and into the trees. Will turned Tug around, planning to follow. It was then the rider crossed his path and stopped. Tug snorted angrily at the mare, for the red-chestnut horse was a she. Will started with surprise. The rider was also a female. Her brown hair had been cut to shoulder length. Brown eyes and a slight frown on the face made Will want to shrink away.

A deathly cold voice snapped softly, "Come."

Will did not know why but he obeyed, spurring Tug and Abelard after the woman. Her long blade had returned to its sheath. Will spotted her longbow in a sheath on the saddle's left side. Another interesting twist. Will had thought only Ranger's used the longbow. Then again, this country was unlike any he had ever seen before. Not only that but the crest this rider bore was unlike he had ever seen before: a ball of fire.

 **I'll stop it there. The next, and final, piece will be up with the next chapter.**


	16. Chapter 16

**NOTE: I don't own any of the characters from Ranger's Apprentice! I just own Will's family and the country of Quarize.**

 **I'm exhausted, stressed, and in pain. Luckily I don't need surgery for my wrist but lots of physical therapy. This chapter is short because I'm need time to get life back in order. Doctor appointments destroyed my schoolwork schedule. I don't know when the next chapter will be out.**

 **Review and Enjoy!**

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Unknown Blood Chapter 16

"OW!"

"Will you just hold still for a minute."

"I would if you would just be gentle!"

"Gentle has nothing to do with this, you idiot! This arrow is designed to cause more damage coming out than going in. I need to be careful, not gentle, or else I could kill you."

"For crying out loud! Just pull it out!"

"GILAN!" Halt snapped, slapping his first apprentice over the head.

Gilan grunted then flinched as his back muscles screamed in agony. The arrow had penetrated deep. However, he was lucky that it missed any major arteries and hit his ribs. Halt had explained to Gilan that Will had aimed to hit him in the shoulder blade, a safer zone. When Gilan heard the bow sing and turned, it messed up Will's shot. Halt was certain Will was tearing himself apart for what he believed just happened. Gilan had grumbled that Will did it on purpose, that he had turned.

One look from Halt changed his mind.

Halt knew that Bruce and the King had forced Will to shoot Gilan. Will was probably hoping Gilan would get hit and run. However, the Ranger had pretended it was a killing shot. Halt sighed weakly as he began working again. If Will was not as accurate as he was then it could very well have ended in disaster. Too high or too low, by an inch, then the arrowhead would have missed the rib and lodged in Gilan's lung. That would most certainly be a kill shot. As it was, Halt just had to deal with a bad injury. These arrowheads were designed with backward facing barbs. They did little damage going in. Coming out, they would snag on anything, increasing the damage inflicted. Luckily Halt had seen these types of arrowheads before and knew how to get them out while lessening the damage. However, it was no less painful for the wounded person/animal.

"I still can't believe he shot me," Gilan groused, glaring at the river.

"He didn't have a choice, probably," Halt replied softly. "I saw Bruce and the King of Quarize with him. They probably made him shoot you."

"He controlled the bow! He could have said no!" Gilan snapped as Halt tugged the arrowhead out a little further.

Halt sighed angrily, stopping his work to glare at Gilan. "And what if he said no. They knew one of us was here. They specifically circled around you, to attack you from behind. I wouldn't be surprised if there were guards hidden in the trees. If Will hadn't shot you, Gilan, then they may have attacked you upon order. I know for a fact they wouldn't have attacked with the plan to let you live."

Gilan held Halt's gaze for a moment before looking away. His shoulders slumped weakly. What Halt said made sense. Will probably had no choice in the matter. Either shoot to wound or have them grant certain death. That was Will's choice. Will chose to try and save him, even if that meant shooting his friend. Halt went back to work. He needed to remove the arrow as soon as possible. The army had moved shortly after Will shot Gilan. Halt had barely dragged Gilan to safety before they marched. But at least he learned something important:

Will was being held on the ship.

With Gilan injured, it would be impossible to try and save his apprentice. Bruce and the King would have Will heavily guarded, just in case they missed someone. They were not the type of people to take risks. No, the only time to save Will now would be in Araluen. They would ride for the nearest town, notify Araluen, and sail for home. Once there, they would join the war. Their main priority would be to save their country. That's what their oath commanded. That's what their friends needed. That's what Will would want from them. Halt, however, was determined to rescue his apprentice at first possible moment that he could.

Then he would make Bruce pay.

* * *

 _Back in Araluen (near the army encampment):_

"You ready?"

"Yes. Each of us are in position that you assigned for us. The Araluens are so busy that they don't know we are here."

"Good. Keep your heads down. We can't let them know just yet. There will be plenty of time for that later. How is it going with Halt and Gilan?"

"Not good. They forced Will to shoot Gilan. The young man will live but they won't be able to rescue him. Their mission is a failure."

" _Tsk_. Good thing we aren't relying on them. As a matter of fact, I might be able to use this to my advantage. Does Will think he killed Gilan? That would be most helpful."

"Will thinks he killed Gilan. That's how the Ranger played it."

"Good. Make sure they don't alert Will to the fact that Gilan is alive. I have a plan that should work perfectly with everything that will be going on."

"They… _He_ …won't like being played."

"Played!" The man, cloaked in black, laughed softly. "They've been played since the moment Bruce appeared on their doorstep. Will has been played the most. I'm sure my brother will be willing to bend the rules just this once."

The other man, Thomas, cocked his head at Tyler, "Even when it means both of his families will suffer?"

"No, he won't," Tyler said. "That's why we have to play our cards just right. At the end of the month, Araluen and Quarize will meet in battle. When Will thinks everything is lost, he will be all the more inclined to follow. Yes," he mused quietly, hand rubbing his beard, "Quarize will kill his friends. Then Will shall kill our father while I'll end King Othon. He won't know the truth until it's too late."

Thomas smirked, "Of course. You'll disappear like fog in sunlight." Then he frowned, a sudden thought appearing in his mind, "What happens if his friends survive?"

"Well…" Tyler whispered, his brown eyes boring into Thomas, "my brother needs to know what it feels like to have nothing. So if his friends survive…

Then I'll kill them myself."

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 **I know I promised a continuation of that smaller story. I'll add it later. I'm too tired right now.**

 **Have a great week!**


	17. Chapter 17

**NOTE: I don't own any of the characters from Ranger's Apprentice! I just own the country Quarize and Will's family.**

 **And I thought life couldn't get any more hectic. I'm doing what I can but I don't know how well everything will keep together. School is more important than fanfiction (though sometimes I wish it wasn't). Thank you to everyone for being so patient with me!**

 **Ace724: Tyler is more on the side of crazy obsessed. Bruce is just crazy. There's a difference but that difference is a very thin line. Tyler is obsessed with destroying his father and uncle. Beyond that he is just as crazy as Bruce…if not worse…**

 **Review and Enjoy (Sorry Again!)**

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Unknown Blood Chapter 17

 _The war between Quarize and Araluen has already begun. So far it is just a few skirmishes. Quarize is advancing steadily through the Redmont fief. The Araluen army is hoping to make their final stand at Castle Redmont. Out of ten skirmishes, Araluen has only won one._

The guards shouted from their positions. The gates of Castle Redmont opened, allowing the mounted men to come through. Baron Arald and Baron Tyler were in the lead. Behind them were their most recent forces. Quarize was a powerful enemy. They were lucky they had escaped with as many men as they did. Duncan and Crowley appeared on the main steps. Baron Arald rode up to them, left hand holding a bandage to his right arm. Blood was seeping profusely around it. With a painful grunt, he dismounted and approached. He had to inform them before anything else.

"My lord," Arald growled through clenched teeth as the wound to his leg sent another shock through his body, "Quarize defeated us, as you can see. They are about a ten day march from here. I suggest we prepare the defenses and wait for them to come to us."

Duncan laid a steadying hand on Arald's shoulders. He frowned at the Baron's words. "We have to take the fight to them, Arald. They have the numbers against us."

Cassandra then dashed past the group. The king watched as his daughter knelt Horace. The young knight had been badly wounded. Without his hard armor, the knight would have perished. It seemed that Quarize knew he was there. Most of the forces had targeted him and his group. Out of thirty men, only Horace and two others had made it out. He wasn't alone. Rodney was being carried towards the infirmary, his shattered armor being gingerly removed. An axe wielder had snuck up behind him. As he turned to face the attack, a spearman rammed him in the side. Then the axe ripped through the armor at his chest. Arald and Tyler were lucky they had gotten to him when they did. A few more seconds and Rodney would have been killed.

Crowley now left Duncan's side as Halt and the other Rangers appeared. His heart lurched as he saw a brown stallion with a white sock on its front right hoof being led in. Slung over its back was the body of its rider. Halt and the other two were nursing wounds of their own. Like Horace and Rodney, they had been targeted. The Quarize warriors didn't know one Ranger from another. They had orders so they attacked. Crowley and Halt shared a pained look. This was the third Ranger they lost since Quarize had landed on Araluen soil. Not only that but Halt had tried several times to infiltrate the army in search of Will. The guards were watchful, alerted that the Rangers would try for the young heir. They were told, however, that the Rangers wanted to kill Will, not rescue him. Gilan, still recovering in the infirmary, had been joined by ten other Rangers who tried to help Halt in his attempts at getting to his apprentice. Yet each Ranger was adamant on trying to rescue the boy. They couldn't believe one of their own would do this. Especially not Will.

"I'll inform his family," Crowley whispered to Halt as the Ranger's body was carried past.

Halt gave a curt nod. He was angry. He was frustrated. No matter what Araluen did, Quarize always seemed prepared. It always seemed as if they knew what Araluen was going to do. They knew who was going to be in which battles. They knew who to target. Halt was beginning to smell a rat. But he knew he would be pointing fingers at some of the most well-known and well-respected men in the entire country. Duncan was keeping their plans top secret. Only the Barons, King, and Rangers knew…

Except for one.

His dark eyes narrowed as he saw Tyler helping some healers with injuries. That man alone was allowed in the command conferences. He alone knew their plans. They needed him to explain how Quarize worked, how they fought. Either he was giving bad information or he was working with the enemy. No matter how often he denied liking his father, Halt could not shake the sickening feeling in his stomach every time he looked at Tyler. The man resembled his father too much. But Tyler had explained to them what Bruce had done to his wife, to Tyler, and now to Will. Tyler made it clear he _hated_ the man. Was it all an act? Or was Tyler playing a game of his own? Halt believed it was the second.

* * *

 _That night. Quarize camp:_

Tyler slunk through the rows of tents. He knew how to get around. He knew the set-up. Most importantly, he knew their schedules. The tent he wanted would be guarded by two men, no more. Everything was going accordingly. One of his men had slain a Quarize spy, taking his place. Tyler would Quarize information on Araluen through his friend. By the time they hit Castle Redmont, they would be overconfident. However, Tyler had been feeding them false information on the castle's defenses. Othon and Bruce would think it would be an easy win. Unknown to them, Tyler was slowly placing them into an ambush, charging them right into the heart of Araluen's forces. It would be too late to pull back by the time they realized their mistake. By then, Bruce and Othon would be dead.

The guards stood firm outside a plain tent, one that looked just like all the others. Tyler smiled, rose to his full height, and marched forward. The men saw him coming. Instantly they took in his black cloak and clothing. Nodding slightly, they stepped aside. A small smile touched Tyler's lips. It was all too easy to infiltrate his family's forces. He had been preparing for this for years. Ducking slightly, he entered the tent.

"Tyler?" a soft voice hissed.

In the middle of the tent, his hands and feet tied around a thick pole, was Will. Tyler winced slightly as he saw the bruises and red marks on Will's face. Obviously Othon and Bruce were still working on him. That was good. It meant Will was still on Tyler's side of the fight. He moved over to his brother, a cloth appearing from his shoulder bag. Gingerly he began to clean the blood. _Look like a caring brother and he'll fall for your lies all the more_ , Tyler thought. Will winced as he cleaned a deep cut on Will's left shoulder. It was deep enough to hit bone, which worry Tyler. He had surrender long before this point. Now, looking at Will, he was glad he did.

"How did you get past the guards?" Will asked in a whisper.

Tyler smiled wanly at him, "No need to whisper, brother. Ever since they locked you away, I've been working on trying to get you out. The guards out there are two of my men. I was informed that Bruce and Othon spent a lot of time with you today. That made me worried so I arranged to come here tonight."

"Can't you get me out?" Will asked, the plea all too evident.

Slowly Tyler shook his head, "I can't. You're too badly wounded to make a run for it. Believe me when I say you don't want to run now. Bruce and Othon won't take kindly to it."

He saw Will's shoulders slump. The boy knew it to be true. Already he had tried three times to make a run for it but each had failed. Afterwards Bruce beat him hard, adding an hour each time Will tried. Now he was far too tired to try. But Tyler could see he was remaining defiant, for Araluen, for his friends. That warmed Tyler's heart with joy. Will had been baited and hooked. Now was the time to reel him in.

With a sigh, he stopped working and looked away from Will. The young Ranger apprentice could sense something was terribly wrong. Tyler saw the pleading, terrified look. He then wrapped his arms around his brother. In Will's ear he whispered softly and slowly, making sure Will understood every word.

"I tried my best, Will. I tried to warn Araluen, to prepare them. However, Bruce and Othon got a spy inside, past my guard. He alerted them to Araluen's plans. I'm so sorry, brother, but Halt, Horace, and Rodney are gone. Arald is badly wounded, though he intends to fight Quarize attacks Castle Redmont. The spy," he choked slightly, knowing this was it, "the spy had his orders…I tried to stop him when I found out…I'm sorry…Please forgive me but, he killed Alyss."

Tyler heard Will breathe in sharply. Then he began to shake. Tears poured down his cheeks and sobs racked his body. He did not want to believe they were dead. Every fiber of his being told him that they were still alive. But Tyler was genuinely sorry, asking for Will to forgive his failures. That made Will believe him. His brother held him firm, letting him mourn. He felt this way as Bruce killed everyone he cared about beside his mother. Gently his hand patted Will on the back, encouraging his brother to cry. He knew this would only aid his case.

"I can't…I can't believe their gone..." Will sobbed.

Tyler pressed his head into his brother's, "I ordered my men to watch their backs during battle. Quarize just sent too many men on top of them. I wish I could have done more."

"It's…not your…fault," his brother replied weakly, finally losing the energy to cry.

It was then Tyler pulled away and looked him in the eye. He could the agony inside of his brother. He could feel the pain of a shattered heart. Tyler knew Will loved Alyss. Bruce knew it so it made sense he would eliminate her. Will was thinking along the same lines, his brother's lies spurring those thoughts onward. Then his gaze hardened as he looked at his brother.

"I'm going to kill them," he growled, his body beginning to shake with pure rage.

 _Good. He's ready to listen._ Tyler nodded slowly, "I believe we can both succeed if we work together. Are you willing, brother?"

"What's the plan?" Will asked after a pause.

Not long later, Tyler was walking through the forest towards Castle Redmont. A huge smile was on his face. His plan had succeeded. Everything he had been working towards was finally going to happen. Quarize would meet Araluen in battle at Castle Redmont. Bruce would find himself facing his youngest son. Othon would die staring at Tyler's bloody hands. Then Quarize would be torn apart by their enemies, by Tyler's friends.

He looked down at the dagger at his belt. _Too bad_ , he thought, _she is a pretty young woman. I can see why my brother loves her so much._

* * *

 **The next chapter will be up when I can get to it. And yep, Tyler is going after who you are probably thinking he's after.**

 **Question: Do you guys care if I continue that little crossover between Ranger's Apprentice and my story? Please let me know so I can post the second half with the next chapter.**


	18. Chapter 18

**NOTE: I don't own any of the characters from Ranger's Apprentice! I just own Will's family and the country of Quarize.**

 **Don't get me wrong, I'm not angry, I'm furious. I never said my writing was good and I admitted that this was all practice for me so I could get better. But yesterday I asked a friend (we aren't very close but I still counted him as a friend) to critique my writing. The response I got back made me feel worse than dirt. It's not the first time I've gotten such comments, though most of them have been given to me privately. I am a real person, with emotions, and most of friends are often worried about me because I have stress and nervousness issues. I'm prone to panic attacks at the worst times. Though I rarely admit, there are times I'm depressed (no I'm not clinically depressed but I do drop to those lows occasionally). However, I've tried to keep fighting through those days but words like those hurt me more than anything.**

" **Why?" you may be wondering. Well, all my life I've been looked down on. I was bullied verbally from second grade through sixth grade. People use to avoid me in middle school because I'm not adept at social interactions due to years of hanging out with kids years younger than me. I'm also hard of hearing, a fact my bullies used to their advantage. People treat me as lesser because I can't hear very well. I rely on my spell check to help with my writing because certain sounds don't connect in my brain as they should due to my hearing. I've spent my whole life trying to prove that my hearing doesn't mean I'm not smart or capable of doing things on my own. The way some people have treated me just because I have to ask them to repeat due to my hearing hurts. I'm your equal. I'm not lesser in any way. But when people insult me like that or point out that my spelling isn't always correct in my stories, it feels like your stabbing me with a hot knife.**

 **Many of you may not have realized this so I forgive most of you. But some of you, and others outside of here, have crossed my line. And believe me when I tell you that my line is very hard to cross. It takes a lot to make me as mad as I am now. My stress levels right now are bad. I am in pain from my wrist, my knee, and back spasms. On top of that I have some people telling me that I shouldn't even try to write, that I'm no good at it. I don't need it and I won't tolerate it. The fact that I dedicated most of this fanfiction chapter to this rant should tell you that.**

 **So remember, please, that I'm a human being who writes because it calms me down, helps me get through life. To see anyone even slightly enjoy my writing brings me a sense of calmness and happiness. I've tried to ignore the more barbed comments, knowing that most of you probably don't mean it that way. And this doesn't just go for me. I've seen how people bully others on the Internet. I know someone who draws, whose art people have been claiming as their own, and telling her to go kill herself when she tries to fight them. She is clinically depressed and has thought of suicide many times. Your words hurt more than you know. Remember that.**

 **Sorry for the rant. I had to get off my chest before I snapped at mother and had to explain it to her.**

 **Review and Enjoy! (Sorry this chapter is shorter)**

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Unknown Blood Chapter 18

 _Quarize_

Othon and Bruce approached Will's tent, not knowing what had just transpired within. The guards were at attention. They knew that the life of the heir was in their hands. Seeing their king and his brother, they saluted, arms crossing their chests. Othon waved them aside. They obeyed, holding open the tent flaps to let them in. Othon and Bruce didn't even give them a second glance. Due to this, they didn't see the triumphant smiles the guards passed to each other.

Will glared angrily at them as they approached. Those brown eyes told them that he was never going to forgive them. They, however, did not know what he believed had happened. Had they known, they would have reassured him that his friends were still alive. But it did not matter to them. Will was securely tied to his post. He was not going anywhere. Most importantly, he could do nothing to them or to help his friends.

"Will," Bruce said calmly, coming to knees before his son, "We will reach Castle Redmont in a few short days. By then I would rather have you at my side than tied up in here."

A cold snarl appeared on Will's face, "Of course you do. You want me to watch as you destroy everything I care for. You want me to be a hollow as the two of you."

"We aren't hollow. We're free," Othon replied gently.

Will's head shook, "You're hollow and crazy. Can't you see that destroying Araluen means destroying me? They built me, helped me to grow into the man I am today. Without them, I would be dead alongside my mother and my uncle."

"You don't understand, son," Bruce whispered, placing a calm hand on Will's cheek. "Araluen has made you weak. I know they helped you to become the man you are. However, our enemies are constantly waiting to strike. They want to destroy us. Most importantly, they'll see you as the heir and think our country is weak. We can't let them see weakness in us."

Will cocked his head to left, analyzing his father's words, before asking, "Wouldn't taking all of the Quarize forces from our home be considered weakening us? I mean, wouldn't they attack when our army is no longer there to stop them?"

"They can't," Othon growled happily. "We only brought half of our forces into this conflict. Our country is a lot larger than you know, young Will. We've trained so many young men to fight in our name, under our crest. The rest of our forces are on the defensive. Our enemies wouldn't dare attack."

"Please, son, understand we want what is best for you. Stop trying to fight against your family, your own blood," Bruce begged, touching his forehead to his son's. He did not know it but this was the same position Tyler had been in as he discussed the plan with Will.

With a shuddering breathe, Will closed his eyes. He was exhausted. He was in pain, both physical and emotional. His heart beat faster, his stomach tightened, as he thought of his role. But he knew he had to do it. No matter how revolting it was. He had to fight them but not the way he had been doing before. _I'll play you like you played me,_ he thought. Those brown eyes opened, letting a look of tired acceptance appear on his features.

His eyes met his father's as he spoke, "Alright. I'll fight with you. However, promise me that you won't hurt Alyss."

A burst of rage ran through his body as a look of guilt flashed through his father's eyes. But then his father smiled and nodded, sealing a promise that was too late to make. Othon cut Will's bonds with knife. Bruce pulled his arms under his son's body and legs and lifted him up. They escorted him to their shared tent. Here Will would be caught up on the plan to attack Araluen. Tyler had told Will how he had captured and killed the spy. Using the spy's connection to the King, he had sent false information on Castle Redmont's defenses and on the army's camp. As they caught Will up on the plan, he could see how Tyler's false information would have them trapped. A smile spread larger and larger deep within. He was going to enjoy watching his father and uncle fall.

* * *

 _Castle Redmont_

Tyler moved through the shadows like a wraith. His plan was in motion. Too bad this had to be part of it. When Will found out, he would be furious. After all, Tyler had given him the largest lie of all. His brother was not on his side. His brother did not care what happened to Will's friends. They were just a means to an end. Their lives meant nothing compared to his desire and obsession for revenge. All of his plotting was now coming to a close. One way or another, Quarize would be decimated. It was not enough to kill his crazy family. No, he wanted his family had ever built to stand. It did not matter how many lives were lost.

Even if those lives were those closest to his brother.

Easily and quietly he turned the nob that led to the apartment. Inside were several sleeping figures. However, Tyler knew how to sneak in and out without being noticed. His long dagger was hidden up his sleeve. The cold metal pressed against his skin. That would be the last thing she would feel. Cold steel cutting open her throat. With care, Tyler moved through the group towards the back. Beyond another door was a bedroom. Two sleeping women were inside. One was the Princess Royal of Araluen. The other was Alyss.

A sickening smile touched his lips. Alyss was sleeping peacefully, not knowing she was about to die. To see such a beautiful young woman sleeping peacefully might have given a killer pause. But Tyler was no ordinary killer. All he could see was his brother stabbing Bruce through the heart. All he could see was his plans coming to fruition. Then he could happily say his life was a success. The dagger appeared, reflecting the moonlight briefly. With no excess movement, Tyler place it beyond her neck, lining it up perfectly.

But that's where everything went wrong.

Alyss suddenly grabbed his wrist, holding it firm. Cassandra sat up with a dagger in her own hand. Tyler could hear the faintest whispers of feet. His eyes, accustomed to the darkness, could see that he was surrounded by Rangers. They had replaced the normal sleeping guards. All of them had been trained to act as if they were sleeping. Now he was trapped. With a long hiss, he released his dagger. Not only was he caught but he was caught in the act. There was nothing he could do to say otherwise.

As the Rangers tied his hands behind his back, he smiled causally at Alyss.

"At least I convinced my brother. Come time, he will slay our father without a second thought. My dear Alyss, you should have seen how his heart shattered to here that you were dead."

That's when Halt punched him in the jaw. He sagged to floor, unconscious.

* * *

 **I'm not going to continue the short crossover unless people ask for it. Again, sorry for the rant.**


	19. Chapter 19

**NOTE: I don't own any of the characters from Ranger's Apprentice! I just own Will's family and the country Quarize.**

 **Please forgive the late update. Summer school got really intense. You also know the issues I've been having. Things got rough but I'm back. Three of my four classes are now over so I plan to get back into things. A chapter a week like I used to do.**

 **Thank you for all the support and encouragement. Know that it meant a lot. Your words got me through most of the rough times. I don't think I've ever found such nice and wonderful people on the Internet as some of you. No, I won't mention names because I don't want people getting left out. You know who you are. I hope and pray to God that all of you are blessed in your lives. You have definitely blessed me. I feel closer to a lot of you because of your words and support. Being someone who is introverted, bookworm, and not socially adept, making friends or feeling like I have friends is often hard. Thank you all so much! God bless all of you!**

 **Be patient, however. My health took a hit but I am bouncing back.**

 **Review and Enjoy!**

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Unknown Blood Chapter 19

"Tell us the truth!" Halt spat angrily, his fist connecting with Tyler's jaw.

Gilan grabbed his mentor and pulled him back. Tyler flexed his jaw experimentally. Then he gave a rueful half smile. His brown eyes studied the group before him. He had no fear of anyone. His plan was already in motion. There was nothing they could do to ruin it. They most certainly could not stop it. Duncan stood in front of him, arms crossed. Cassandra was at his side, bristling with rage. On Duncan's other side was Crowley. The Commandant's hazel eyes were alight with anger. Gilan was holding Halt off to Tyler's left. Horace, hands balled into fists, was on his right with Baron Arald. Alyss was leaning beside the door with her mentor, Pauline. Tyler knew outside the thick oak door were two knights and several Rangers. Duncan was making sure he went nowhere. A slow, long hiss came from Cassandra as Tyler smiled. She so wanted to tear him apart!

Tyler finally spoke, his voice smooth and calm, "What is there to tell? There's nothing you can do."

"We'll be the judge of that," Crowley snapped.

The young man's smile grew even more at those words, "Suit yourself. Though you can't hold me prisoner. I haven't done anything against Araluen. Only against Quarize."

"You tried to kill me," Alyss said, her voice low but her anger was clearly evident.

Tyler shrugged, "An unfortunate act. Though I also did save your life. Bruce and Othon sent a spy to murder to you. However, I needed to remove the spy in order to enact my plans."

As he fell silent, Duncan stepped forward and growled, "What are these plans you keep referring to? What do they have to do with Araluen and Will?"

Another small shrug, "You're the pawns. Quarize is so focused on tearing you apart that my men and I so easily slipped in. Also, you're the pieces that allow me to control Will?"

"What did you say to him?" Halt snarled, pulling harder against Gilan, forcing the young Ranger to brace his feet and lean back.

Tyler's brown eyes swung to Halt, "Told him that you, Gilan, Horace, Rodney, and Alyss were all dead. If it weren't for my men, you would be."

"How dare you!" Cassandra shrieked, making some of them wince.

Ignoring her, Tyler smiled, "It wasn't hard. He already thought he killed Gilan. And Bruce and Othon had already made great efforts to kill all of you. Just a little bit of prodding in the right places was enough to make him see things my way. It's true what Bruce said. Loved ones make us vulnerable to manipulation."

"What's supposed to happen when Quarize attacks Castle Redmont?" Crowley asked.

Tyler screwed up his face and look to the ceiling as if in thought. Then a cold smile touched his lips. His eyes met Duncan's. "You'll see."

That's when Duncan himself lost it. His fist slammed painfully into Tyler's gut. The young man gasped for breath. It took all of his self-control for Duncan to stop himself from punching Tyler's open mouth. A few seconds of silence followed. Then Tyler's shoulders began to shake. Softly at first but increasing in volume were his chuckles. A crazy, bloodthirsty smile pulled back his lips. Blood had covered his white teeth, turning them red. Now they were exposed as he laughed. All of the Araluen's could tell he was not in his right mind. Tyler's head leaned back and rested against the pole he was tied to.

Finally he began to speak, still laughing, "You think that does anything to me? My own father broke every bone in my body. He made me kill my best friend. I watched him beat mother with a whip as if she were a slave. There is no pain you can put me through now that I haven't already felt. And now Will feels the same way. He knows what it's like to have nothing to fight for other than revenge and blood. Even if he does realize you're all alive, it won't be before he stabs our father in the stomach with my first sword. It won't be until after I kill King Othon. Then he'll get to watch as my friends, the enemy countries of Quarize, come in and tear Quarize apart. Nothing of my family will be left standing when I'm done."

"We are all just worthless pieces in your game," Pauline said quietly but her soft voice had a definite edge to it.

Tyler looked at her and inclined his head, "Indeed, Lady Pauline. Rivers will run red with blood. I don't care whose. I don't care who must die to achieve my goals. Quarize will be walking into a death trap. Bruce shall die at the hand of his youngest son. Othon shall perish at my hand. Nothing else in this world matters to me. Not any of you. Not any of them. Not even my own brother."

"You're sick," Alyss gasped, her skin pale.

That made Tyler shake his head, "I'm not sick. Quarize is sick. Only by destroying it can that sickness be cured, wiped off the face of this earth."

Duncan frowned at the man, "What will you do after your plans succeeds?"

Tyler's gaze met his, "I'll vanish like mist in sunlight. I'll live the rest of my days in peace, a smile on my face. Who knows? Maybe I'll have a family of my own."

"A man like you doesn't deserve a family," Horace growled.

Those words made Tyler start laughing again. "A man like me! A man like me!" he kept saying. His body shook as he laughed. That's when the group could hear the commotion outside. Cries of pain rang out. Something heavy hit the door. Then armor being dragged on stone could be heard. Everyone was ready for a fight. Swords glinted in the small amount of light. Cassandra's powerful sling rocked back and forth. Saxe knives rested against the Rangers' legs. Still Tyler kept laughing. Pauline nervously pulled Alyss into a corner, ready to defend her student.

Then Tyler's voice cut through battle-ready minds, "There is nothing you can do to stop any of this from happening. One way or another, Quarize will drown in its own blood. If Araluen must drown as well then so be it."

The door burst open. Five men wrapped in black cloaks appeared. Weapons clashed as the knights and Gilan tried to block the exit. Cassandra was winding up the power in her sling when something hard hit the back of her head. Halt and Crowley spun to see Tyler on his feet. A small, thin blade in his hands. It was a weapon designed to go unnoticed in a body search. Crowley tried to shout a warning to the knights but Tyler was fast. His fist connected with the Commandant's jaw, an instant knock-out punch. Halt blocked the small blade. Then Tyler's head slammed into his forehead. A rough push sent him against the wall. The knights and Gilan were being knocked out one by one. Horace was the last one to fall.

As unconsciousness took him, he heard a heart-wrenching scream come from Alyss…

"Pauline!"

* * *

 **Next chapter should be up in a few days. I am so glad to be back writing again.**


	20. Chapter 20

**NOTE: I don't own any of the characters from Ranger's Apprentice! I just own Will's family and the country of Quarize.**

 **Health nearly back to full swing. One problem after another for me, I'm afraid. Nearly gave my mother a heart attack when I jammed my finger in the door. Hehe…That one was all my fault, not sickness or uncontrollable injury.**

 **Then I was visiting family. Only have so much time before school starts again. At least that means my last summer school class is almost done…And I forgot about the final I have to do. After this I have to study or I'm screwed!**

 **Anyways, back to the story! Things are about to heat up!**

 **Review and Enjoy!**

* * *

Unknown Blood Chapter 20

Halt rubbed his temples gingerly. His head continued to throb regardless. Those dark eyes looked up to the bed opposite of him. The lurch of his heart reminded him that his head was the least of his worries. It had been two days since Tyler made his escape. Two days! The man was a ghost. No one, not even the Rangers, could find him. At least they knew he was not running to his father. Tyler hated the man with a burning passion. This passion will scorch everything in its path. It did not matter who burned. It did not matter what was destroyed. It did not matter who was harmed. All that mattered was fulfilling his revenge.

A weak groan made Halt jump. Quickly, silently, he moved closer to the person. Her graying hair plastered in strands by sweat. Her beautiful skin was pale, almost white. Those stunning eyes were shut tight in pain. No smile appeared on her lips when he pressed close. The heat of her skin made Halt's heart beat faster. He knew she was fighting off infection, fighting off death. Once again his eyes went to the bandage that was keeping the wound safe. So many stitches had been needed in a desperate attempt to close such a massive wound. It went from her right shoulder, across her chest, down to the left side of her stomach. If they had not been in the castle, the wound would have killed her. The only person who could make him meek. The only woman that ever made him stumble over his own two feet. The only woman he ever loved with all his heart: Pauline.

Rage blurred Halt's vision. Alyss had told him the story. Tyler, now armed with a short sword, had advanced on her. He had been planning to finish what he had started. That's when Pauline had stepped in. At first Tyler was annoyed. He had simply swung to make her leap out of the way. Pauline's dagger had batted aside the blow. Then she stabbed with lightning speed. The shallow cut on his left arm had enraged Tyler. His left hand caught the sword while his right hand slapped Pauline's cheek. His sword quickly flashed upward. At first Alyss thought Pauline had dodged the blow. Then that worm of doubt gnawed in her mind. Her mentor was too still, too rigid. She screamed as Pauline slowly slumped to the floor. Pauline coughed as her blood saturated the stone floor. Tyler had stepped around her and advanced on Alyss once more. That's when Alyss had attacked with her own dagger. Will's brother was just able to leap back, avoiding the same injury he had just given to Pauline. Realizing that help was coming, he had given up. He looked back only once…

With anger in his eyes…

Because he had failed to end her life.

Pauline coughed, her body shaking. Halt pressed a cool, soaked cloth to her skin. Soon the shaking stopped. The woman he loved had fallen into a deep sleep. Quietly Halt pulled his chair closer. There he sat, her hot hand in his. That was how Crowley found him later. Silently he traded spots with his friend. Only the briefest of glances went between them. It was enough to tell Halt that Tyler was still on the loose and that Quarize was still marching. Muttering a curse, Halt headed for command room. At least there he could be of some use.

He was the man who dreamed of the war with pleasure. Halt swore he would destroy Tyler's plan. That way Pauline's suffering would not be in vain. That way he could see the pain in Tyler's eyes as the man watched all his work fall apart. It would also be the time that Halt could challenge Bruce. This Ranger had not forgotten his apprentice, trapped with a family that wanted to destroy everything he had ever loved. Any pain that Will felt Halt would send back to his family. He had promised Will's uncle and mother he would look after the young man. Bruce, Othon, and Tyler could not, would not, stop him. Halt loved Will as if he was his own son…

And he would destroy anything that caused Will harm.

* * *

Will shivered as a cold wind raced past him. Winter was not far off. Yet it was not any colder than his heart. Bruce and Othon laughed, joked, and drank to the destruction of everything he had ever loved. Tyler had told him the truth. Most of them were already gone. Halt. Gilan. Sir Rodney. Horace. _Alyss_. All of them. Gone. Dead. Again those tears began to make their way down his cheeks. Quickly he wiped them away. He could not let anyone know how much he knew. That would result in the plan failing.

The bushes before him shook. Tyler slowly stepped forward, his brown eyes casting around warily. Then he smiled weakly at his brother. Will smiled back. This was the only member of his family that he trusted. The only member that he had left to love. Tyler told him that he felt the same. They cared about each other. Bruce and Othon only cared about a perfect heir. Everyone else was gone.

"How are things in Redmont?" Will asked softly.

Tyler sighed, "Not good. Turns out there were more spies then I first thought. Araluen is jumping at shadows since…the incident."

"What incident?" Will felt his throat constrict.

His brother averted his gaze and let his shoulders slump. With his dirty clothes, he looked like a broken man. "They almost succeeded in poisoning Crowley. Pauline was attacked and is now badly wounded."

"Will they live?" the Ranger apprentice asked.

Tyler shrugged weakly, "Crowley will. He caught a foul stench in his food. The spy didn't realize what would happen when you put poison in a boiling stew. Pauline…I'm not sure about her. Like I said, Araluen is jumping at shadows…"

Will frowned. The unspoken message was clear. Araluen no longer trusted Tyler. He could not fathom why. After all, Tyler was only trying to help. He was trying to right the wrongs his father committed against him, his mother, and Will. Surely that meant they should trust him. Will shrugged mentally. Tyler said Araluen was jumping at shadows. Obviously Bruce and Othon were making sure none of their people turned traitor. Such people would find no help in Araluen. It was pretty ingenious if you asked Will.

Tyler's voice snapped Will out of his thoughts, "Are they still on schedule?"

"Yes, brother. We will reach Redmont in the next two days," Will replied.

His older brother nodded, "Good. Make sure they stick to the plan. Now that I have lost the trust of Araluen it will be difficult to change plans now."

"Don't worry. Bruce and Othon have complete faith in me. They won't know they walked into a trap until it's too late. By then, you and I will be ready for final step," Will growled, a dark pleasure growing in the pit of his stomach.

The two young men shared a wicked smile. Already they could see the battle happening. They could imagine facing off against Bruce and Othon. Deep inside, that dark pleasure was yearning for blood. Soon revenge would be satisfied. Soon Quarize would be pounded into dust. Only then would the thorns be pulled from the past. Until then, it would be careful steps. Until then, these two men would swallow their hatred for their family.

Tyler wrapped Will into an embrace and whispered, "You had everything. Now, like me, you have nothing. Blood is the price for pain. Let's make them pay."

"Let's, brother," Will hissed.

* * *

 **The next chapter will be up sometime next week. I just need to study before my last exam.**

 **Please review!**


	21. Chapter 21

**NOTE: I don't own any of the characters from Ranger's Apprentice! I just own Will's family and Quarize.**

 **I'm still shocked at how much support I'm getting! A lot more than I expected. It's truly touching. Thank you all so much! I just got a shot that should limit the pain I'm in (from my wrist). Along with all the ergonomic tech my mom has bought for me, I should improve. "Should" being the key word there.**

 **AlexaMarrinDaughterofPoseidon and Pennydragon: I know sticking my finger in a door is a bad idea. It was so unplanned for. And it hurt…a lot…but no real damage other than a scrape. Still, I appreciate the care.**

 **Guest 3: Thank you so much for the support! Your review only just came in…don't know why…but it lifted my spirits so much. I'm glad you're enjoying my story (or stories if you've read the others).**

 **Your support has encouraged me to get this chapter done (it has nothing to do with the fact my online class website crashed and I have nothing to do. Nothing to do with it at all…maybe a little…BUT your support still encouraged me to get this done!)**

 **Review and Enjoy!**

* * *

Unknown Blood Chapter 21

Araluen's scouts spotted the Quarize army several hours before they crested the hill. Halt and Crowley were surprised about their chosen position. A charge would put them directly in the center of Araluen's forces. Duncan did not question it. The large force placed themselves directly opposite. The rest were split to either side, hidden by trees. Rangers kept scouting on either side. Crowley expected a surprise attack to come from either side. But the Quarize men never wavered. Their march was consistent.

Halt was starting to suspect that Will and Tyler were somehow involved.

Cassandra, Alyss, and Jenny crouched on the battlements of Castle Redmont. Before them, lined in several rows, were the men of Araluen. In the middle was a clear space. Duncan, Baron Arald, Halt, Crowley, Sir David, Gilan, Sir Rodney, and Sir Horace sat calmly. The men of Araluen kept glancing at the center group. Their calm demeanor was spreading through the army. They trusted their king and his advisors. Unknown to them, the main group was terrified. Duncan's jaw was set. Baron Arald and Sir Rodney kept glancing nervously at each other. Sir David was as still as stone, his blood seemingly frozen in his veins. Gilan and Sir Horace were staring ahead, not focusing on anything but the hill Quarize would appear over. Only one was calm

Halt felt his stomach clenching tight with fear. He knew he had to remain relaxed. He alone had been looking forward to this fight. Regardless of orders, he would join the initial attack. He was not going to risk Bruce or Tyler getting killed before he tore their heads from their shoulders. Those dark eyes studied the hill he would have to fight his way up. Tyler told him that Bruce and Othon would hold back, furthest from the enemy. A snarl slowly curled on his face. They were cowards, liars, and clever. Halt hoped that when Will saw his friends alive, the boy would forget everything and come running to them. He did not want his apprentice to be mistaken by the Araluen soldiers.

Unknown to Halt, every Ranger still alive was planning an attack on the central command. They wanted to see just how smart these leaders were. Could they match every Ranger still left standing? No matter what, these men would protect one of their own. Rangers are a loyal breed after all. Unlike Halt, however, they were planning to be more cautious. They intended to use the skills they were best at: silent movement, archery, and camouflage. Will was going to be free of his family's control. That was an oath every Ranger muttered under their breath.

Dust was the first clue of Quarize's arrival. It was stirred by the many marching feet. Horses' hooves sent it billowing behind them. Araluen farmers had made certain of this. While the army desperately tried to push them back, they had been hard at work removing as many plants as possible. One, it would clear the ground for Araluen's mounted cavalry. Two, it would loosen the soil, allowing it to fly as the men marched. Soon the rising sun was glinting off of the armor. The Quarize army kept marching, showing off their strength of numbers, until the central command could be seen. Then the men stopped and remained still. Araluen's response was simple. The first line went to one knee, bracing their spears in the ground. Behind them, the second line lowered spears to chest level. Two deadly rows of razor sharp spearheads. The Battehorses pawed at the ground, sensing the fight coming, seeing the enemy.

For several long minutes, the only sound was the wind flapping the flags.

Halt's eyes bore into the opposite command center. He could see Tug standing between a white horse and a paint. Bruce on Will's right with Othon on the left. Even with Araluen preparing to attack, they kept their only heir trapped between them. Abelard, Blaze, and Cropper tossed their heads. On the other side, Tug copied the action. He knew who they were. He knew friends were waiting for him and his rider. A snarl of rage appeared on Halt's lips. Bruce had just laid a hand on Will and pulled the young man back. Will did not fight or argue. Heart pounding in his chest, Halt realized that Tyler had been right…

Will believed them dead…

And was planning to kill his own father in cold blood.

Gilan and Horace exchanged a look behind Halt. They saw it as their personal duty to help Will. Horace was his best friend. Gilan was like a brother. Both knew that the other Rangers were also going to be attacking the command center. Both understood that Halt would be charging in at the first moment he possibly could. Horace's hand flexed on the hilt of his sword. Gilan fingered the arrow he had chosen the moment Quarize had appeared. One licked his lips while the other bit his. Kicker and Blaze remained relaxed. The moment Gilan and Horace gave the signal, they would charge, gathering speed in a matter of minutes. They could see their friend and his rider. Like their riders, they knew Will and Tug would have nothing to do with this. They, too, were loyal souls. Nothing would stop them from saving their friend.

Cassandra, Alyss, and Jenny exchanged a glance. Then, with nod, both Alyss and Cassandra pulled away. Jenny remained on watch. The other two headed for the back. Late last night they had prepared for this. Reaching the chosen spot, Cassandra grabbed a rope, tossed it over, and descended. Alyss followed shortly behind. At the base of the wall were two horses. These animals were built for speed. The two women rode quietly into a clump of bushes. Here they would await Jenny's signal. Then they too would join the fight. Their goal was to reach Will, help the others to show him how Tyler had played him. But unlike Halt, these girls knew that Will, deep down, still loved his father. Yes, the man had made mistakes. Yes he had chosen to attack Araluen. However, he was only doing what he thought was right. Will only hated him now because he thought Bruce had taken everything away from him.

Alyss did not want Will to lose his father.

No one knew who started it. It seemed to be by mutual consent and understanding. One minute everything was quiet and tense. The next it was loud, thousands of voices being raised. Quarize's trumpets blew the call to charge. Feet pounded into the ground, making it shake. Araluen's cavalry charged from either side. The men-at-arms braced for impact. Almost all of Quarize's men were open. It was then Duncan signaled for the red flag to be raised. Charging from the trees were the rest of their forces, both men and horse. Quarize desperately tried to stop and turn but it was too late. Araluen's forces crashed into them like a tidal wave. The men-at-arms who were initially in the way never had someone hit them. Instead they dropped their spears and charged into the fray. They were not going to be left out of the fight. It was then things started to happen:

Duncan and Crowley noticed that Halt, Gilan, and Horace were missing.

Jenny gave Alyss and Cassandra the signal to go.

Bruce and Othon noticed their guards being shot down.

Every Ranger made the charge for one of their own.

A whistle echoed over the land and battle.

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 **Next chapter will be up later. It's already in the making. Should be up tomorrow or Thursday…maybe sooner…**

 **Thanks again for all the support!**


	22. Chapter 22

**NOTE: I don't own any of the characters from Ranger's Apprentice! I just own Will's family and Quarize.**

 **Follow-up doctor appointment delayed the posting of this chapter. Then I got an S.O.S. call from one of my friends. Nearly had a heart attack because of it. What did she want? To talk with me about a story idea!** _ **I nearly had a heart attack over this?**_ **was my thought process. Decent idea over all. However, she's not a writer so just had a rough idea. Asked me if I could write it out for her…as a fanfiction. Don't know why I said yes…**

 **Anyways, it a fanfiction for Warriors. I'm asking that my lovely fans read it, at least the first few chapters that I promised. If any of you don't know the Warriors series, don't worry! Only terminology and basic Clan structure is from the Warriors. That's it and I will do everything I can to explain it. If it's not clear and you like it, then ask for a terminology section. I'll make one.**

 **So please read it (not forcing, just asking to get my excited friend off my case). It's called** _ **Cracking Hearts**_ **. You can find it under "Fanfiction" – "Books" – "Warriors". It will be up TOMORROW. Thank you.**

 **Now that I did as promised…Review and Enjoy!**

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Unknown Blood Chapter 22

Bruce felt his blood freeze in his veins. It could not be! It was impossible! Yet as the whistle echoed over the land, it made him freeze. So familiar. Instantly recognizable. A whistle he had taught to his eldest son, a signal whistle. He started to turn to his brother. Maybe someone had copied the whistle without realizing it. Tyler was gone. Bruce's eldest son died in his arms. It could not be him sounding the whistle. Could it? Could he really be alive…

Will's bow slammed into jaw full force. Bruce had never felt a blow as strong as that one. Wordless he collapsed to the ground. His paint horse reared. It was trained to defend its master. Tug, however, was far faster. This small horse had been an outcast. The other horses had rejected him. He knew that these men had hurt his master. Bruce and Othon had been keeping Will locked up, away from Tug. Normally calm and peaceful, Tug showed how truly violent he could be. And precise. His right hoof slammed into the paint's left eye. The left hoof missed the jaw as the paint reared. Turning his head, Tug put his shoulder into the paint's chest. A shrill cry rang out as the horse toppled over. Bruce just barely able to escape.

The lord turned to call for his brother, his king. His voice stopped dead in his throat. Othon was backing his horse away from a black cloaked rider. The grey stallion he rode snorted, striding forward for the kill. Tyler's emblem was sewn in the cloak's right shoulder, gold thread against the black fabric. Will and Tug advanced on Bruce. The man glanced desperately between them. It was the cloaked figure drew his sword and pointed it at the pair of rulers. Tug did not hesitate as Will spurred him into a charge. The other chased after Othon as the king turned and fled.

Tyler's first sword flashed right over Bruce's head. The lord had barely manage to duck and dive. Will did not bother to use his advantage on Tug. Quickly he dismounted as he saw his father head for a ditch. Rocks clattered loudly as he slid after his father. The ditch was a waterway for when the Tarbus River flooded. It wound and curved sharply ahead of him. The young man could see his father's tracks. No one but a Ranger could hide from him. Silently he sheathed his sword. Tyler had brought him a bow and a quiver of arrows. He had handed them to his brother as he rode up. Now Will walked forward, an arrow ready to fire. That would be the perfect revenge: kill his father by using the weapon he never approved of.

"Come out, murderer! You can't hide from me," Will snapped angrily.

Bruce's voice came from up ahead, "Will, what are you doing? I'm your father. You used be fighting beside me, not against me."

"I can't stand beside a man who makes his son bleed. I can't love a man who took my heart and tore it to shreds," the son replied angrily.

Carefully the lord stepped from his hiding place. The arrow was aimed for his chest. At this range, even the recurve bow would send the arrow clean through. Bruce's hands came up in surrender. Those brown eyes stared at his son. All he could see was the hate, the rage. Something had happened to his son. He wanted to know what it was. He wanted to know who had hurt him.

His voice came out gentle and soothing, "Son, calm down and think. Tell me what happened. Tell me who hurt you…"

"You did!" Will shouted. Bruce actually recoiled a step, "Gilan, Halt, Horace, Sir Rodney, and Alyss are dead because of you. Why couldn't you just leave well enough alone?"

Genuine shock appeared on Bruce's face as he spoke, "Will, they are all alive. I know it…"

"Liar!" Will cried.

The arrow shot away. Bruce side-stepped away but his son compensated for it, like he would do one day in the future. Unfortunately for Will, the wind was against him. It pushed his arrow to far out the way. Bruce hissed in pain as the arrow slid through his left arm. Like all Rangers, Will knew his shot was bad the moment he released. Therefore, he had charged almost instantly. What he did not know was that Bruce was skilled in hand-to-hand combat. Easily he caught his son's right hook. Then leaned out of the way of the left jab. Quickly his right hand smacked into Will's cheek, sending the young man reeling. Recovering quickly, Will snarled at the man who had torn his heart to pieces. Yelling with pure rage, he charged again. Again Bruce blocked, deflected, or dodged every blow. Even with both arms, Will could not hit him.

Growing tired of dealing with Will, Bruce made a feint for his son's stomach. Will pulled away, not realizing the position he was in. Then his father's elbow took him in the throat. A gargled cough came out. The young man sagged to his knees. His right hand was wrapped protectively around the injury. His breath was coming in ragged gasps. The throat hurt horribly. Every breath felt like fire. Every gulp sent shockwaves of pain through every inch of his body. Bruce grunted as he broke the arrow shaft and pulled it out of his arm. A kerchief, quickly tied, started to soak the blood. Then Bruce approached his son.

Anger seethed in his body. Bruce stood over his son and snapped, "I don't know who lied to you but your friends are still alive. After this battle, however, they will die at your hand. Because of this little rebellion, I won't even spare Alyss. Maybe then you'll straighten out."

"I…doubt…it," Will wheezed slowly.

Tyler's sword flashed yellow in the noon light. Bruce barely registered that it was going to be a killing blow. The tip was aimed for his stomach. Nothing would be able to save him from such a grievous injury. Then he isolated a sound that he had heard. Humming. The tip was so close to his stomach, ready for blood. Next moment, something heavy slammed into the blade. It struck with such force that it sent the sword flying from Will's grasp. The young man stared after it with absolute shock. Bruce blinked with his own shock…

A fist made his head snap sideways.

Stumbling a few steps, Bruce turned to face the new threat. He was faced with a petite, blond-haired and green eyes young woman. At Will's side, tears of joy running down her face, was a tall, willowy woman. It was then Bruce knew who they were: Cassandra and Alyss. Will stared dumbly at the woman he loved deep down. At the moment he did not know the word for those feelings. Then a smile of joy appeared on his face. The two former Wardmates shared a hug. Cassandra stalked between them and Bruce, green eyes blazing. They had stopped Will from killing his father. That did not make Bruce a friend. If Cassandra had choice, she would tear Will's entire family apart. Well…this part of his family.

"How…?" Will managed to croak.

Alyss pressed her hands to his cheeks, "How do you think, idiot? We survived. It wasn't easy."

Bruce then made a step forward, "Get away from my son, witch!"

"One more step and I'll show you just how mad I am," Cassandra spat, her sling starting to rock threateningly.

"Why wait for another step?" a gruff voice snapped.

Another punch Bruce practically flying. Will stared in utter, joyous shock at the scene before him. Halt crouched where he had landed. Horace was returning to a standing position, rubbing his sore hand. Gilan was slightly above Halt on a ledge. His longbow was slightly drawn. Two arrowheads shined brightly in the light. The dark look in Halt's eyes told Bruce and Will that he would fire without hesitation. Gilan and Horace would be right on his heels. Then the tears of joy and pain blocked Will's sight. All he could feel was Alyss' presence at his side. And he knew the truth…

It had all been a lie.

Bruce never told him the truth…

Tyler had used him and his friends…

Everything Will had ever known had been a trick…

An illusion…

He had no family.

 _No. I have one family._

Will rose shakily to his feet. He stepped forward and joined Horace's side. The young knight smiled warmly at him. Gilan gave him a nod, accepting an apology that Will never had to utter. Halt stood beside his apprentice, pride rising in his chest. Bruce stood before them, defiant. Then he signaled for Will to join him. His son shook his head slowly.

That's when a trumpet was sounded. King Othon was dead. Tyler had been successful. Will looked in that direction. He knew he was partially responsible for all of this. It broke his heart. All he had ever wanted was a family that would love him, care about him. Now he realized that the family he wanted as standing at his side. They were fighting off Quarize. And yet…he also had his blood family.

"Father?" Will asked, his throat still raw. Tentatively he took a step forward. "It's not too late. Call the retreat. Make peace with Araluen."

The look in his father's eyes said it all. However, Bruce decided to make it clear, "I never want to see you again, Will. As long as I breathe, you won't be welcome in Quarize's borders."

With that, the man turned on his heels. He sounded the retreat whistle. As soon as he found a trumpet, he would make a louder call. Until then, he hope whoever heard him would pass it on. Quarize had lost a war for the first time in generations. It was all thanks to his son.

Rage boiling over, he could not help but snap over his shoulder, "I hope your happy Will."

"Tyler will be somewhat happy," Will replied. Bruce spun around as Will continued, "His plan worked to perfection. He played Quarize and Araluen into a war. King Othon is dead by his hand. Soon the enemies of Quarize will march on your land."

With that, Will watched as his father strode off. As soon as his father could not be seen, he collapsed to his knees. Tears ran down his cheeks. Halt's powerful, peaceful presence enveloped him. Horace, Gilan, Alyss, and Cassandra pressed closer. There was nothing any of them could do for their friend. Will just needed time to mourn. Everything he had ever wanted laid shattered at his feet. He had suffered greatly at the hands of his family. Those were wounds that he would not forget soon.

At the castle, everyone was celebrating. Every Ranger clapped Will on the back or wrapped him in hugs. Crowley gave him his bronze oakleaf back. Will was a Ranger, through and through. Duncan, Baron Arald, and Sir Rodney welcomed the young man back home. Surrounded by familiar faces, Will realized that Araluen was truly home. Nothing and no one would ever change that. He was just happy that things were dying down. Maybe one day he and Bruce could meet eye-to-eye. Will hoped so. Until then, there was one more thing to clear up…

* * *

Tyler snarled as he ran through the trees. King Othon, the cowardly ruler, had died on his own sword. Quarize was supposed to break. Then he had seen Bruce calling the retreat. His father, alive!? Had not Will done his job? How could that brat let Bruce live? It just did not make sense. All of Tyler's friends had died in the war. It did not matter if it had been by Quarize's hand or Araluen's. All that mattered was that Tyler was alone. He gave a rueful smile. They at least did _their_ jobs.

Reaching his base, Tyler headed inside. He could spare a few winks. At dawn he would leave for the seaside towns. Maybe he would make his way to Celtica. Once he was out of the country, Araluen would stop hunting him. Back to Quarize he would run. There he would begin new plans to discredit and eliminate his father. What Will could not do, Tyler would be there to clean up.

"Hello, brother." A cold voice cut like a whip through Tyler's thoughts.

Spinning around, Tyler found himself facing Will, Halt, and Crowley. The three of them looked far from happy. So much for a few winks of sleep. His brown eyes darted for his emergency exit. As if on cue, Gilan stepped through the secret door. Another Ranger appeared in the main entrance. Tyler was willing to bet that the others were somewhere outside. A ball of ice grew in his stomach. They had been waiting for him. But this fox had a few more tricks up his sleeves.

He smiled warmly at his brother, "I see your friends are still breathing. As is our father."

"I won't kill an innocent man. I won't let you destroy a country full of innocent people just to satisfy your petty revenge," his brother snapped.

Tyler's smile only grew, "Planning to stop me, are we now? Too bad for you. You can't contain something that doesn't exist."

Four black balls appeared in his hands. Instantly the five Rangers dove for him. Striking the ground, the balls exploded, releasing a thick black smoke. Then Tyler vanished into a tunnel. This was the secondary escape route. Quickly he squirmed and wriggled through the crawl space. He was like a goffer. By the time the Rangers found the exit point, he would be long gone. Reaching the end, Tyler shoved the covering rock out of the way. He stood, stretched, and started walking.

Then felt a hand grab his shoulder.

He spun around in time to accept a punch to his nose.

Blood flew in all directions from the flattened nose.

Reflex tears clearing, Tyler found himself facing Will. The young man had followed Tyler into the trap door. Will knew enough of his brother to know that he always had more than one exit. It's what made his brother so slippery. Tyler dipped his head to his clever brother. Only the smartest could have immediately figured out where he had gone. However, the dark look in Will's eyes told him that he was not looking for praise. He was sick of his blood family. Even still, he could not bring himself to kill any of them with his own hands. Will's next words confirmed it.

"Get out of Araluen. Because of you, I nearly lost everything I ever loved. I won't risk trusting you again," Will snapped.

Tyler titled his head and replied, "Understandable, brother."

"Don't ever call me that again," Will growled, holding up a warning finger. "You say you're different than father, Tyler. You're actually more similar to him than you would imagine."

That made Tyler's eyes flash with an angry light. Before he could speak, Will continued.

"We are family but I will never welcome you into my home or my life. Stay away from my loved ones. And beware. Father knows you're alive now. I told him your plans." (Tyler flinched at this) "Don't come asking me for help in battling father. I won't help you. One day I hope that father and I can love each other without him attacking my family. I suggest that's what you do. Find another life. Forget about father. Forget about your war with him. It's never going anywhere."

A bloody snarl appeared on Tyler's face, "Never forget our blood, brother. Never forget what father did to us. One day you will see that there is no reasoning with him. Until then, be safe."

"Like you really care," Will snorted at Tyler's last words. Then he sighed after his running brother, "Stay safe, brother. I can't lose any of you, regardless of our differences." He turned to leave, glancing once more over his shoulder.

"Maybe one day I can reason with you. Then there will be hope for us all."

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 **Would you guys like one more chapter? If not, I'll start right into** _ **Dripping Blood**_ **. It doesn't matter to me either way.**

 **Please read Cracking Hearts! It will be up bright and early TOMORROW!**


	23. Chapter 23

**NOTE: I don't own any of the characters from Ranger's Apprentice! I just own Will's family and Quarize.**

 **This is a very short chapter. It sets up the sequel** _ **Dripping Blood**_ **. This chapter was supposed to be the Prologue. I changed it for you guys. The first chapter of the sequel should be out later today.**

 **Summer school is finally over. I have two weeks before I go back to regular school. I want to try and post as much as I can before that point. My schedule will be hectic since I'm also trying to get a job and getting more involved in the Christian club near me. I'm hoping for roughly two to three chapters a week.**

 _ **Dripping Blood**_ **warning: Will and Horace are the primary characters from Ranger's Apprentice. Halt, Gilan, Crowley, Alyss, Cassandra, and Duncan appear here and there. Mostly in flashbacks that Will has. Just wanted to let you all know.**

 **Now for the final chapter of** _ **Unknown Blood**_ **!**

 **Review and Enjoy!**

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Unknown Blood Chapter 23

 _Roughly two years after the last chapter:_

Tyler spurred his horse along the mountain cliffs of Quarize. He was nearly there. His heart pounded hard in his chest. There were signs all around him. Bad signs. Could it be that someone learned the truth? Were they after the only person that lived up here? He hoped not. He prayed not! After everything he had been through, after everything he put his brother through, he just wanted to lay low. But if his fears were true then any peace he had would be shattered.

The armed force turned down a hidden path in the mountains. Tyler's heart began to sink. He spurred his horse on even faster. Maybe he could get there in time. Maybe he could stop them. His entire world lived up here. The only hope for putting Quarize back together lived up here. If this person was killed then Quarize was doomed. King Bruce had no heir that he recognized. No more of the royal family was alive. Only one had any hope for the throne. The rejected one. The one that was ignored. Beaten. Forgotten.

One of the pine trees that grew here had been cut down. The gray horse snorted, readied himself, then jumped. Landing on the other side, Tyler felt his heart shatter. He was too late. They were gone. The cabin before had been torn apart. As the wind blew by, the door swung weakly on its last hinge. Slowly the gray stallion trotted over. Tyler dismounted and headed inside. He could see evidence of a massive fight. Tyler had trained the last heir well. Spots of blood could be seen here and there. Nothing suggested a kill. Nothing told him what to expect.

Entering the bedroom, Tyler spotted something that made his heart go could. He picked up the bits of unneeded rope. They did not kill the person Tyler was here to protect. No. They had captured the person. Quarize's king was now in possession of the only possible heir. However, Tyler knew what Bruce would do. Torture. Find out any information on Tyler and his allies. He would then kill the person. He would slay the only one besides himself and his brother who claim the throne from Bruce.

"I swear, father, if you hurt her then I'll kill you in the one way you fear," Tyler hissed to the darkened room. Then his eyes went southwest, to the only person who could help him.

"But first I need help."


End file.
